Johnson Controls, the automotive battery manufacturer, has decided to raise the price of its lead acid batteries sold in the U.S. and Canada by 8%. The company has said that this hike is in response to the tightened environmental, health and safety regulations because of which it has to make increased investments in its infrastructure.
The company is upgrading its manufacturing facilities after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued stringent air standards for lead emissions in 2008 and in January this year. It is investing $162 million in its North American recycling centers to make them compatible with recommended environmental standards.