Interstate Battery System of America

What does Interstate Battery System own?
Interstate Battery System owns and operates the Interstate Batteries brand, the No. 1 replacement battery brand in North America. The company manufactures and distributes automotive, marine, RV, motorcycle, lawn and garden, specialty, consumer, and alkaline batteries through 300 wholesale warehouses across the US and Canada.

Is Interstate Battery System publicly traded?
No, Interstate Battery System of America is not publicly traded. The company operates as a privately held battery manufacturer, allowing it to focus on long-term strategic goals without public market pressures.

Who founded Interstate Battery System?
Interstate Battery System was founded in 1950 by John D. Searcy, who began selling and delivering car batteries to wholesalers in the Dallas/Fort Worth area from the back of his red Studebaker pickup truck. He named the company after the new interstate highway system being built across the United States.

Where is Interstate Battery System headquartered?
Interstate Battery System is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA, where the company maintains its corporate offices and has been based since its founding in 1950.

Who is Interstate Battery System's CEO?
Lain Hancock has served as CEO since February 2023. Scott Miller, the previous CEO and son of former chairman Norm Miller, serves as Executive Chairman of the Board. The Miller family has led the company since 1978.

What is Interstate Battery System's market position?
Interstate Batteries is the No. 1 replacement battery brand in North America, recognized as the technician's choice for 9 years and counting. The company has distributorships in all 50 US states and Canada through its network of 300 wholesale warehouses.

How much lead has Interstate Batteries recycled?
Since 2016, Interstate Batteries has recycled approximately 3.08 billion pounds of lead, keeping over 77 million car batteries out of landfills. This recycling program is supported by the company's extensive distributor network across North America.

What is Interstate Battery System's NASCAR involvement?
Interstate Batteries has been a NASCAR sponsor since 1992, when it became the title sponsor of Joe Gibbs Racing's Winston Cup team. The team won the Winston Cup Championship in 2000 with driver Bobby Labonte. Currently, Interstate Batteries sponsors NASCAR drivers Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs.

Interstate Battery System of America was founded in the spring of 1950 by John Searcy, who began selling and delivering car batteries to wholesalers in the Dallas/Fort Worth area from the back of his red Studebaker pickup truck. After two years of successful operations, Searcy formally established the company, naming it Interstate Battery System after the new interstate highway system being built across the United States.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Interstate Battery System expanded its product lineup and distribution network, becoming known for quality batteries and reliable performance. The company developed a reputation for dependable products and customer service that would become the foundation of its long-term success.

In 1978, John Searcy retired and left the company under the leadership of President and Chairman Norm Miller. Norm Miller continued the company's expansion so that by the 1980s, Interstate Battery had distributorships in all 50 US states and Canada. During that time, the company created the Interstate Batteries Great American Race, which for 13 years took vintage car owners and their vehicles on a two-week, cross-country rally. This led to other marketing initiatives such as advertising on the Paul Harvey news radio show, running national TV commercials, and sponsoring champions.

In 1990, Norm's brother Tommy Miller became Interstate Battery's president and CEO while Norm remained chairman of the board. Under Tommy's leadership, Interstate Battery became heavily involved in NASCAR. Interstate Battery became title sponsor of coach Joe Gibbs' new Winston Cup team in 1992, which eventually won the Winston Cup Championship in 2000 with driver Bobby Labonte, establishing the company's long-standing relationship with motorsports.

In March 2004, Carlos Sepulveda became president and CEO and led the company for almost a decade until leaving in 2013 to join Triumph Bancorp Group. Under Sepulveda's leadership, the company continued to expand its product offerings and market presence.

Norm Miller's son Scott became president and CEO in 2013, continuing the family's leadership tradition. In February 2023, the company announced Lain Hancock as the new CEO and Scott as Executive Chairman of the Board, marking a new era of leadership while maintaining the company's founding values.

In 2024-2025, Interstate Batteries continued to expand its product offerings, including enhanced lithium-ion battery options for automotive and powersports applications. The company also strengthened its sustainability initiatives, expanding its battery recycling program and exploring partnerships in the electric vehicle battery market. The NASCAR partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing continued, with drivers Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs representing the brand.

Interstate Batteries has made battery recycling a cornerstone of its sustainability efforts. Since 2016, the company has recycled approximately 3.08 billion pounds of lead, keeping over 77 million car batteries out of landfills. This recycling program is supported by Interstate's extensive network of distributors across North America, who collect used batteries from dealers and ensure they are recycled responsibly.

Key sustainability initiatives include:

• Battery recycling program: 3.08 billion pounds of lead recycled since 2016
• 77 million car batteries kept out of landfills
• Responsible battery lifecycle management through distributor take-back programs
• Exploration of lithium-ion battery recycling as the market evolves

The company's environmental stewardship extends to its manufacturing processes, which aim to minimize waste and energy consumption. Interstate Batteries also supports environmental education and community initiatives through its corporate giving programs.

Interstate Battery System is not a Certified B Corporation and does not publish a formal sustainability report aligned with GRI or SASB standards. However, the company's recycling efforts represent a significant environmental contribution given the scale of its battery distribution network.

On the social side, Interstate Batteries supports workforce development through its partnership with Universal Technical Institute (UTI), supplying batteries for training programs that prepare the next generation of automotive technicians. The company also supports various community and charitable initiatives through its corporate foundation.

• No. 1 Replacement Battery Brand in North America: Market leadership position maintained for years
• Technician's Choice: Recognized as the technician's choice for 9 years and counting
• NASCAR Championship: Joe Gibbs Racing won the Winston Cup Championship in 2000 with Interstate Batteries sponsorship
• UTI Partnership: Exclusive battery supplier for Universal Technical Institute training programs since 2018

Interstate Battery System has faced limited major public controversy relative to its scale. As a privately held company, it operates with less public scrutiny than publicly traded competitors. However, the battery manufacturing industry faces inherent environmental and regulatory challenges.

Environmental regulations affecting battery manufacturing and disposal are a significant area of regulatory oversight. The company must comply with EPA regulations regarding lead handling, hazardous waste disposal, and air emissions from manufacturing facilities. Interstate Batteries' recycling program helps address these regulatory requirements while providing environmental benefits.

The shift toward electric vehicles presents a strategic challenge for the company. While Interstate Batteries has begun expanding into lithium-ion and AGM technologies, the long-term transition away from traditional lead-acid batteries could impact its core business. The company must invest in new battery technologies and potentially new manufacturing capabilities to remain competitive.

Supply chain challenges for raw materials, particularly lead and lithium, can affect production costs and availability. The company's reliance on lead as a primary raw material exposes it to commodity price volatility and potential supply disruptions.

The company's NASCAR sponsorship, while a significant marketing investment, has occasionally drawn questions about the return on investment and whether motorsports sponsorship is the most effective use of marketing resources for a B2B-focused battery brand.