Rayovac 2012 Annual Report Download - page 52

Competitive Landscape
We compete in six major product categories: consumer batteries, pet supplies, home and garden control
products, electric shaving and grooming products, small appliances, and electric personal care products.
The consumer battery product category consists of non-rechargeable alkaline or zinc carbon batteries in cell
sizes of AA, AAA, C, D and 9-volt, specialty batteries, which include rechargeable batteries, hearing aid
batteries, photo batteries and watch/calculator batteries, and portable lighting products. Most consumer batteries
are marketed under one of the following brands: Rayovac/VARTA, Duracell, Energizer or Panasonic. In
addition, some retailers market private label batteries, particularly in Europe. The majority of consumers in North
America and Europe purchase alkaline batteries. The Latin America market consists primarily of zinc carbon
batteries but is gradually converting to higher-priced alkaline batteries as household disposable income grows.
Our major competitors in the consumer batteries product category are Energizer Holdings, Inc., The Procter &
Gamble Company and Matsushita.
We believe that we are the largest worldwide marketer of hearing aid batteries and that we continue to
maintain a leading global market position. We believe that our close relationship with hearing aid manufacturers
and other customers, as well as our product performance improvements and packaging innovations, position us
for continued success in this category.
Our global pet supplies business comprises aquatics equipment (aquariums, filters, pumps, etc.), aquatics
consumables (fish food, water treatments and conditioners, etc.) and specialty pet products for dogs, cats, birds
and other small domestic animals. The pet supply market is extremely fragmented, with no competitor holding a
market share greater than twenty percent. We believe that our brand positioning, including the leading global
aquatics brand in Tetra, our diverse array of innovative and attractive products and our strong retail relationships
and global infrastructure will allow us to remain competitive in this fast growing industry. Our largest
competitors in the pet supplies product category are Mars Corporation, The Hartz Mountain Corporation and
Central Garden & Pet Company.
Products in our home and garden category are sold through the Home and Garden Business. The Home and
Garden Business manufactures and markets outdoor and indoor insect control products, rodenticides, herbicides
and plant foods. The Home and Garden Business operates in the U.S. market under the brand names Spectracide,
Hot Shot, Cutter, Real Kill, Black Flag and Garden Safe. The Home and Garden Business’ marketing position is
primarily that of a value brand, enhanced and supported by innovative products and packaging to drive sales at
the point of purchase. The Home and Garden Business’ primary competitors include The Scotts Miracle-Gro
Company, Central Garden & Pet Company and S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
We also operate in the shaving and grooming and personal care product category, consisting of electric and
wet shavers and accessories, electric grooming products and hair care appliances. Electric shavers include men’s
and women’s shavers (both rotary and foil design) and electric shaver accessories consisting of shaver
replacement parts (primarily foils and cutters), pre-shave products and cleaning agents. Electric shavers are
marketed primarily under our Remington brand. Our primary competitors in the electric shaving and grooming
category are Procter & Gamble, makers of Braun, and Koninklijke Phillips Electronics N.V., makers of Norelco.
Electric grooming products include beard and mustache trimmers, nose and ear trimmers, body groomers and
haircut kits and related accessories. Hair care appliances include hair dryers, straightening irons, styling irons and
hair-setters. Europe and North America account for the majority of our worldwide electric personal care product
category sales. Our major competitors in the electric personal care product category are Conair Corporation,
Wahl Clipper Corporation and Helen of Troy Limited.
Products in our small appliances category consist of small electrical appliances primarily in the kitchen and
home product categories. Primary competitor brands in the small appliance category include Hamilton Beach,
Procter Silex, Sunbeam, Mr. Coffee, Oster, General Electric, Rowenta, DeLonghi, Kitchen Aid, Cuisinart, Krups,
Braun, Rival, Europro, Kenwood, Philips, Morphy Richards, Breville and Tefal.
42