SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters)—Dell Inc said on Tuesday the
personal-computer industry was experiencing a shortage of laptop
batteries partly because of a recent fire at a major supplier, but the
company was working with other suppliers to limit any price increases.
Dell, the world’s second-largest PC maker after Hewlett-Packard Co.,
also said prices of its separately sold batteries used as replacements
or for surplus power had gone up because of the shortage caused partly
by the March 3 fire at LG Chem’s Ochang plant.
LG Chem is the second biggest South Korean battery maker. The fire
contributed to a worldwide battery shortage that could affect up to 40
percent of second-quarter shipments at Asustek Computer, Taiwan’s
No. 2 PC maker, an Asustek executive told Reuters earlier on Tuesday.