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Gold Peak Industries (Holdings) Limited (GP) is an Asian battery manufacturer established in 1964 and based in Hong Kong. They are also involved in the domestic appliance cabling business via purchasing 16% of the stock value Chengdu based Ling Xu Cabling Corp in 2001.
In 2000, Gold Peak acquired Lighthouse Technologies[1], a Hong Kong-based LED technology developer and manufacturer specialising in large-scale LED screens for indoor and outdoor use.
The European branch is based in Asten, The Netherlands and there are several smaller branches in the USA. GP Batteries International Limited (Singapore) II-53, GP BATTERY MARKETING (SINGAPORE) PTE. LIMITED and GPI INTERNATIONAL LIMITED. ASEAN are its Singaporean export branches. GPI INTERNATIONAL LIMITED. ASEAN exports to the ASEAN member nations, whilst GP Batteries International Limited (Singapore) II-53 covers all other North American and Asian exports outside of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau. GP BATTERY MARKETING (SINGAPORE) PTE. LIMITED is the marketing, sale management and publicity related division of the firm[2][3][4]. Gold Peak Industries (Taiwan), Ltd. develops Li-on batteries and battery re-chargers[5][6].
The Hitaka Electron Co ltd was its main competitor in the Lithium button cell market in the Guangdong province of China.
Products include GP Batteries (both primary, secondary and button cells[7]), GP PowerBank, and ReCyko, a low self discharge nickel metal hydride battery [8][9] that, unlike ordinary NiMH batteries, is claimed to hold about 90% of their charge after six months and about 85% after a year. They are planning to make a major move in to the North American rechargeable low self discharge nickel metal hydride battery market some time before 2015[10], though plans for this were first floated as early as 2001 and minor North American operations have occurred since. The also produce Nickel-Cadmium, Nickel Metal Hydride, Lithium Ion and Lithium Ion Polymer batteries for other markets in Asia, the Middle East and Europe to[11][12].
GP Batteries are used in Vectrix electric scooters, domestic applances, motorised toys and game consoles.
It also makes portable solar chargers.
Loudspeakers KEF.
The former firm Lighthouse Technologies was a leading LED technology developer, manufacturer and global supplier of state-of-the-art LED modular video panels, which can be assembled into large scale video screens for indoor and outdoor use. Specializing in the research and manufacture of LED screens, Lighthouse Technologies has its own intellectual properties with more than 10 active patents worldwide.
Hong Kong still is the focal point for Lighthouse Technologies after it was bought out by Gold Peak as its head office, with R&D and manufacturing facilities located in both Hong Kong and Southern China. The firm has accrued has a multinational skills based team, incorporating both sales and technical talents from Europe, USA, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific region, from very diverse cultural and technological backgrounds resulting in a global company that is still sensitive to local market demands and culture.
Workers at GP factories have been routinely exposed to Cadmium dust[13][14], an extremely toxic chemical used in the manufacture of batteries. Cadmium poisoning can cause kidney failure, lung cancer and bone disease due to the repercussions of the chemical being inhaled.
In 2006 more than 100 female factory workers in southern China attempted to sue their former employers (GP) over suspected cadmium poisoning.[15] Three people have reportedly died as a result of the cadmium poisoning, and others have fallen ill.[16]
August 24th 2010, over a hundred workers protested outside GP’s factory in Huizhou. On the same day, at around 11:30 pm, several workers' representatives were surrounded and beaten up by about 300 attackers whose identities were unknown. GP had promised compensation to workers affected by poisoning but severely reduced the negotiated amount offering a "take it or leave it" situation. When this proposition was rejected by the protesters they were set upon by the mob.[17]
Karin Mak’s documentary Red Dust follows female workers fighting for medical care from their former employer, China’s GP Batteries factory, after suffering years of cadmium poisoning.[18][19]