What Clarios makes

Clarios is a low-voltage battery manufacturer whose products cover the full spectrum of automotive energy storage chemistry: flooded lead-acid, EFB (Enhanced Flooded Battery), AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat), lithium-ion, and, in active development, sodium-ion. The company says it produces more than 150 million batteries per year, supplying both original equipment manufacturers and the aftermarket, which it reports accounts for roughly 80% of revenue.

The flooded and AGM product lines have been the historical core. The AGM variant, which tolerates repeated deep cycling and supports stop-start ignition systems, is the fastest-growing segment; the company's hAGM (high-performance AGM) chemistry, which it says materially improves charge acceptance, has secured at least two OEM production contracts for model year 2028 vehicles per company press releases. The 12-volt lithium-ion battery line passed the one-millionth-unit production milestone, per the company's own announcement. Sodium-ion batteries, developed in partnership with Swedish firm Altris and Slovak manufacturer InoBat, are being validated for cold-start performance down to -40 degrees Celsius, with serial production targeted before the end of this decade.

Beyond cells, Clarios also markets supercapacitors in standard voltages of 12V, 24V, 36V, and 48V, designed to complement main batteries in vehicles with steer-by-wire, active suspension, and other high-demand electrical systems. A Connected Services telematics platform, sold as Battery Manager and Battery Manager Pro, provides fleet operators with predictive battery health data.

The company sells under six global brands: VARTA (Europe, Asia, South America, with 130+ years of German manufacturing heritage), OPTIMA (high-performance aftermarket, marine, and commercial), Heliar (Brazil and South America, 90+ years), LTH (Mexico and Central America, 90+ years), Delkor (South Korea and global distribution), and MAC (South America and Caribbean, 65+ years).

Financial performance

Clarios reported approximately $10.6 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2025, per the company's own investor materials. The Berylls Strategy Advisors Top-100 Automotive Supplier study (2026) places the company at rank 34, with automotive-sector revenue of approximately 8.9 billion euros for the same period, reflecting a 4.2% decline from 9.3 billion euros the prior year. The company does not publish a profit metric; Brookfield, the private equity owner, has not filed public income statements for Clarios. The company employs approximately 18,000 people across more than 100 countries, per its investor page. The US manufacturing footprint alone covers 16 facilities and more than 5,500 employees across 32 states.

Capital investment has been substantial: the company says it has deployed approximately $3.5 billion in capital over the past decade across its manufacturing and recycling network, with over $1 billion in the United States. In 2025, it announced a $6 billion American Energy Manufacturing Strategy, and as of May 2026 reported that more than half a billion dollars had been invested in US plants within the prior fiscal year under that plan.

Ownership and history

The battery business at the core of Clarios traces its origin to 1888, when W.W. Clarkson and Samuel Cabot founded the Electric Storage Battery Company in Philadelphia. Through a long chain of consolidations, the business eventually became the Power Solutions division of Johnson Controls International. On April 30, 2019, Johnson Controls completed the sale of that division to a consortium led by Brookfield Business Partners for approximately $13.2 billion. The new entity relaunched as Clarios on May 1, 2019.

Brookfield remains the majority owner. In January 2025, Clarios filed to withdraw an initial public offering in the United States that it had been preparing. Contemporaneously, per reporting from Reuters and Bloomberg, the company raised debt to fund a $4.5 billion dividend payment to its private equity owners, including Brookfield and the Canadian pension fund Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec (CDPQ). The company is headquartered at 5757 N. Green Bay Ave., Glendale, Wisconsin.

Clarios operates more than 50 manufacturing, recycling, and distribution facilities globally, across the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. Recycling is a core part of the supply chain model: the company says it recycles 8,000 batteries per hour within its own network and works toward 100% recyclability of its products.

Certifications and quality

Clarios's supplier quality requirements documents reference IATF 16949 as the baseline standard for its manufacturing operations, consistent with expectations for a company supplying original equipment manufacturers globally. Registry records show at least one Clarios-branded facility holding IATF 16949 certification. The company's OE Requirements Guideline, a supplier-facing document published on its site, sets out the quality-management expectations Clarios places on its own supply base, including APQP and PPAP procedures. Clarios has been recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for four consecutive years through 2026, per the company's own press release.

Known customers

Clarios does not publish its OEM customer list by name. The company states that 1 in 3 vehicles on the road globally is powered by a Clarios battery. In January 2025, the company announced it had secured a second supply contract with a major US automotive manufacturer for hAGM batteries to be used in a model year 2028 full-size SUV, per a press release on its own site. Aftermarket customers are served through the six brand families in retail, wholesale, and installer channels across more than 100 countries. Fleet operators are served through the Connected Services platform.

Recent news

September 2026 -- Clarios announced that cold-cranking performance for its sodium-ion battery technology has been validated down to -40 degrees Celsius, advancing toward industrialization in partnership with Altris and InoBat (company press release).

May 2026 -- The company provided a one-year update on its $6 billion American Energy Manufacturing Strategy, stating that more than $500 million had been invested in US plants across multiple states by the close of fiscal year 2026, with new advanced battery production capacity being added (company press release, Glendale, WI).

January 2025 -- Clarios withdrew its US IPO filing and simultaneously completed a $4.5 billion dividend recapitalization, returning cash to owners Brookfield and CDPQ through new debt (Reuters; Bloomberg).

Frequently asked questions

What does Clarios make?

Clarios manufactures low-voltage batteries for automotive, commercial, and aftermarket applications, including flooded lead-acid, AGM, EFB, 12-volt lithium-ion, and sodium-ion chemistries in development. It also makes supercapacitors and sells a connected fleet battery-management service. The company reports producing more than 150 million batteries per year.

Who owns Clarios?

Clarios is owned primarily by Brookfield Asset Management and Canadian pension fund CDPQ. Brookfield acquired the business from Johnson Controls International in April 2019 for approximately $13.2 billion, rebranding it as Clarios on May 1, 2019. An initial public offering filed for the US market was withdrawn in January 2025.

What is Clarios's annual revenue?

Clarios reported approximately $10.6 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2025, per its investor page. The Berylls Top-100 Automotive Supplier study places automotive-sector revenue at approximately 8.9 billion euros for the same period, a decline of about 4% from the prior year.

Where is Clarios headquartered?

Clarios is headquartered at 5757 N. Green Bay Ave., Glendale, Wisconsin 53209. The company operates more than 50 facilities worldwide, including 16 manufacturing plants across the United States.

Who are Clarios's customers?

Clarios does not publish its OEM customer list by name, but the company states that 1 in 3 vehicles globally runs on a Clarios battery. It has publicly announced at least one hAGM supply contract with a major US automaker for model year 2028 vehicles. Aftermarket sales account for roughly 80% of revenue, distributed through retail and installer channels under the VARTA, OPTIMA, Heliar, LTH, Delkor, and MAC brands.

Last verified September 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.