Crown Battery, the lead acid battery manufacturer, announced at the end of March it had made two acquisitions: distributor and servicer of industrial batteries Industrial Powersource and Warehouse Energy Power, a supplier of batteries and chargers.

The acquisition of IPS gives Crown Battery a factory-owned facility in southern California, North America’s largest material handling battery market at more than $75 million per year.

Industrial Powersource has distributed Crown’s batteries for 15 years. It will operate as a Crown subsidiary and Crown will take over its 20,000 square foot factory facility in Santa Fe Springs

Crown, which is based in Fremont, Ohio, will take over Warehouse Energy Power’s four sales and service facilities in the US state — in Minster, Columbus, Toledo and Cleveland.

“Our core business as one of the leading providers of new and reconditioned industrial batteries, chargers, and battery handling equipment in the Ohio region will continue,” said a Crown official.

“WEP’s specialty in working directly with companies that utilize electric motive power for their material handling needs will also remain unchanged. What has changed is the depth of engineering and technical knowledge that now support us in providing the best.”

The staff of both firms — 25 at Industrial Powersource and 30 for Warehouse Energy Power — will be retained.

Crown Battery specializes in industrial batteries in forklift trucks, mining machinery, railroad and stationary generators, charging systems and automated guided vehicles.