Duracell Gets Into Flash Memory

The copper-top battery maker has decided to expand its brand to flash memory products, including USB drives and SD, microSD, and Compactflash cards.

Duracell is best known for having marketed its copper-top batteries for more than four decades, building a reputation for quality and reliability. Now, the company has decided to extend its brand into flash memory products, introducing a serious of products including USB drives along with SD, microSD, and Compactflash media. The company will lso offer media card readers, and market the products in a rance of grocery and pharmacy stores throughout the United States.

“When you think about it, flash memory is a great fit for Duracell since there’s a big consumer trust factor in saving family photos or key documents,” said Duracell VP and general manager Rick June, in a statement. “Memory is a complementary category that just makes sense for a digital camera user who’s already buying Duracell batteries to power the device.”

But Duracell hasn’t suddenly built its own flash manufacturing facility and designed its own products: instead, the company has entered into a partnership with existing memory product developer Dane-Elec, which already has distribution set up in the U.S. as well as Asia and much of Europe, and also markets the Meizu portable media player.

Duracell is a subsidiary of U.S. consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble.