Energizer Holdings, Inc.
Company History
Energizer History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1886 in St. Louis, Missouri
When was Energizer founded?
Energizer was founded in 1886 in St. Louis, Missouri by Washington H. Lawrence, making it 140 years old.
- Founded
- 1886
- Founding place
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Founders
- Washington H. Lawrence
- Headquarters today
- Town and Country, Missouri
- Milestones documented
- 12 (1886–2026)
- Current CEO
- Mark LaVigne
- Acquisitions
- 4
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1886 | National Carbon Company Founded |
| 1896 | Columbia Dry Cell Launched |
| 1980 | Energizer Brand Introduced |
| 1986 | Ralston Purina Buys Eveready |
| 2000 | Spun Off From Ralston Purina |
| 2003 | Schick-Wilkinson Sword Acquired |
| 2015 | Edgewell Separation |
| 2016 | Acquired HandStands Holding Corporation |
| 2019 | Spectrum Brands Battery and Auto Care Deals Close |
| 2021 | Mark LaVigne Becomes CEO |
| 2025 | APS Acquisition and $2.95B Sales |
| 2026 | Q3 FY2026 Sales of $734.1M |
- Where was Energizer founded?
- Energizer was founded in St. Louis, Missouri in 1886.
- Who founded Energizer?
- Energizer was founded by Washington H. Lawrence.
- When did Energizer start?
- Energizer was founded in 1886.
- How old is Energizer?
- Energizer is 140 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Energizer's roots go back to the National Carbon Company, organized in Cleveland in 1886, which sold the Columbia dry cell in 1896, and to the American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company, whose Eveready brand popularized the flashlight. Union Carbide later owned the battery business, and Ralston Purina bought Eveready in 1986. The Energizer brand launched in 1980, and the drumming Energizer Bunny first appeared in 1989 in an ad that parodied Duracell's bunny commercials. Ralston spun off Energizer in 2000, and the 2015 split with Edgewell created today's battery-and-auto-care company.
Founders
Washington H. Lawrence
Lawrence led the National Carbon Company, the corporate ancestor of Energizer's battery business. Under his leadership the company moved from carbon electrodes into dry cell batteries and sold the Columbia dry cell in 1896, one of the first batteries made for consumers. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Key Milestones
National Carbon Company Founded
Washington H. Lawrence organizes the National Carbon Company in Cleveland, the predecessor of Energizer's battery business.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgColumbia Dry Cell Launched
National Carbon sells the Columbia dry cell, one of the first batteries designed for consumers.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgEnergizer Brand Introduced
The Energizer battery brand launches under Union Carbide's Eveready business.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgRalston Purina Buys Eveready
Ralston Purina bought the Eveready Battery business from Union Carbide in 1986.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSpun Off From Ralston Purina
Ralston Purina spun off Energizer Holdings as an independent company in 2000.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSchick-Wilkinson Sword Acquired
Energizer bought the Schick-Wilkinson Sword shaving business from Pfizer in 2003.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgEdgewell Separation
On July 1, 2015, personal care brands move to Edgewell Personal Care and Energizer Holdings becomes a stand-alone battery and lighting company (NYSE: ENR).
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcquired HandStands Holding Corporation
Energizer Holdings acquired HandStands Holding Corporation for $340 million.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSpectrum Brands Battery and Auto Care Deals Close
In January 2019 Energizer acquires Spectrum Brands' battery business (Rayovac, Varta) for about $2.0 billion and its auto-care business (Armor All, STP, A/C Pro) for about $1.25 billion.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgMark LaVigne Becomes CEO
Mark S. LaVigne becomes Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2021, succeeding Alan Hoskins.
Source: sec.govAPS Acquisition and $2.95B Sales
Energizer buys Advanced Power Solutions from VARTA AG on May 2, 2025 and reports FY2025 net sales of $2.9527 billion with $239.0 million of net earnings.
Source: sec.govQ3 FY2026 Sales of $734.1M
Q3 FY2026 net sales rise 1.2% to $734.1 million; full-year adjusted EPS guidance moves to the low end of $3.30 to $3.60.
Source: prnewswire.comMajor Acquisitions
Spectrum Brands Global Battery and Lighting Business
2019Added Rayovac and Varta battery brands, more manufacturing and broader international distribution.
Spectrum Brands Global Auto Care Business
2019Added Armor All, STP and A/C Pro and created the Auto Care segment. Paid with about $938.7 million in cash plus Energizer shares.
Advanced Power Solutions (VARTA AG consumer batteries)
2025Bought VARTA AG's European consumer battery business to expand manufacturing and brands in Europe.
HandStands Holding Corporation
2016Added car fragrance and appearance products, Energizer's first major step into auto care.
Keep researching Energizer
Energizer Company History FAQ
What is the history of Energizer Holdings?
Energizer traces its roots to the National Carbon Company (1886) and the Eveready brand. Ralston Purina bought Eveready in 1986, spun off Energizer in 2000, the Edgewell split followed in 2015, and in 2019 Energizer acquired Spectrum Brands' battery and auto-care businesses for about $3.25 billion combined.
When did Eveready introduce the 9-volt battery and alkaline battery?
Eveready introduced the well-known 9-volt battery in 1956 (designed for early transistor radios) and introduced the world's first commercial alkaline battery in 1959 (invented by Lewis Urry), transforming consumer portable power.
When did Energizer launch the world's first AA lithium battery?
In 1992, Energizer introduced the world's first AA lithium battery (now Energizer Ultimate Lithium), establishing a leading technology benchmark for high-drain digital devices and extreme-temperature performance.
When did Energizer Holdings complete its 2015 corporate separation on the NYSE?
On July 1, 2015, Energizer Holdings officially debuted as an independent publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker ENR, following the tax-free spinoff of its personal care division.
When did Energizer acquire Rayovac and Armor All to transform its business model?
In January 2019, Energizer completed the transformative acquisitions of Spectrum Brands' global battery business ($2.0B) and Auto Care business ($1.25B), expanding revenue to over $3 billion.
How has Energizer changed since 2021?
Under CEO Mark LaVigne, Energizer ran the Project Momentum cost program, paid down debt, bought VARTA AG's European consumer battery business in May 2025 and began recording U.S. Section 45X battery production credits.
When did the Energizer Bunny first appear?
The Energizer Bunny first appeared in U.S. TV advertising in 1989 as a parody of Duracell's bunny commercials. Outside North America the brand is usually represented by Mr. Energizer.
What is Energizer's strategy for fiscal 2026?
Energizer's stated FY2026 priorities are to restore growth, rebuild margins affected by tariffs and return to its historical free cash flow profile.
How did Energizer start?
Energizer traces its deep roots back to the 1890s when W.H. Lawrence invented the first consumer dry cell battery, founding the Eveready Battery Company. The modern "Energizer" corporate entity was spun off from Ralston Purina in 2000.
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