Inspired by the success of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in the country, the world’s dominant primary battery producer Eveready mulls the setting up of the global firm’s first BPO center to support its global business as the company expects strong growth this year.

Esteban Vorbeck, president and managing director of Eveready Philippines, told reporters at the launch of its new campaign, “Isang Laging Handang Pilipinas” to mark the company’s 110th anniversary in the country.

Vorbeck expressed hope the plan would materialize soon and should be located in Manila although the company has also manufacturing plant in Cebu.

“That would be our first time if we put up the BPO center here,” Vorbeck said.

The BPO center, he said, could handle logistics, financé and marketing and would promote the Philippines as a back support office.

Vorbeck cited the country’s strong BPO industry and that Eveready is looking at opportunities in this industry. For this year, Vorbeck has projected a double-digit growth this year reversing the declines suffered by the battery industry in the past few years.

“We see double digit growth this year largely due to growth in consumer confidence,” Vorbeck said. The company already posted double-digit growth in the first four months of the year, but Vorbeck refused to give the exact figure.

Vorbeck said that the battery industry has somehow leveled off in the past two years, but the economic rebound is expected to fuel consumption this year.

The primary battery or the replaceable battery market is placed at P150 million per year only or two batteries per person consumption a year and the Philippine market has been declining. The declining volume could also be traced to the changing devices that are using more efficient batteries and the use of electricity.

The low sales volume in the country is attributable to the fact that batteries have very low relevance to people, unless there are calamities and power shortages.