Category: News

The world leading hearing aid battery manufacturer^* announced “no battery lasts longer^**” than its new Active Core Technology at the hearing industry’s major annual congress.

World leading hearing aid battery manufacturer^* Rayovac, has enjoyed another successful year at the 62^nd EUHA Congress in Nürnberg, Germany, revealing its latest technology for the first time in Europe.

Among the highlights for Rayovac at this year’s event was the European launch of its new Active Core Technology, which offers consumers longer lasting, high quality performance throughout the life of the battery – its most powerful battery yet.

The company, a division of consumer products company, Spectrum Brand Holdings Inc., welcomed a multitude of delegates to its stand at the high-profile hearing industry event, where they discovered the wide-ranging benefits of Active Core Technology. Designed at the Spectrum Brands Institute of Design and Technology, the triple action cell design and formulation provides users with an improved performance and consistency in all hearing situations.

Visitors to the stand, which featured an eye-catching video screen and interactive displays, also found out about a range of exciting new upgrades to the 2018 Rayovac ProLine Advanced Programme.

Rayovac has been working closely with its audiology customers to design a business builder programme that meets the needs of the modern-day audiologist. Coupled with new graphics, the latest enhancements include 24-hour shipping, meaning orders are processed and shipped within 24 hours from the time they are placed^***.

New for 2018, customers will be able to order customised multipacks, including a 24-pack box showing their own unique branding on the packs. They will also benefit from a customised cochlear implant range, new POS and new display units, which have been refreshed in line with the company’s rebrand.

Paula Brinson-Pyke, Director of Marketing at Rayovac, said: “It was fantastic to meet with so many people on the ground at EUHA, there was a real buzz and excitement around our new Active Core Technology. We have invested heavily in developing a product which meets the needs of hearing aid wearers and offers them long-lasting power on demand.

“The team had hundreds of pre-booked meetings with industry professionals at the event and it was particularly useful to gain their feedback on the new Active Core Technology and our ProLine programme, which we’re continually developing to give audiologists the best support.”

During the EUHA Congress in Nürnberg, Rayovac also hosted its annual Evening of Excellence event. The occasion is an annual highlight in the hearing industry calendar and this year marked the announcement of the 10^th anniversary winner of the prestigious Audiologist of the Year (AOTY) competition.

The 2017 winner was revealed as Robert Beiny of the Hearing Healthcare Practice in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, who beat off tough competition from the seven other country winners.

Paula continued: “The Evening of Excellence is one of the highlights of the Rayovac calendar and it was great to come together with our industry partners to celebrate the achievements of Europe’s top hearing professionals.

“We wholeheartedly congratulate Robert and all of the 10^th anniversary country winners and our thanks go to all of the patients who took time to nominate their hearing professional.”

_{* Based on internal company estimates of worldwide market share.}

_{** Based on ANSI/IEC performance tests for size 13, 312}

_{*** Exclusions apply. Orders qualifying for 24 hour shipment contain only ProLine branded products, are placed before 12 noon and contain 6000 cells or less. Orders excluded from the 24 hour shipping guarantee include promotional orders, where there are any account issues such as customer credit, pricing or custom imprint changes. New customer set ups will not qualify for 24 hour shipping for their first order. 24h our shipping does not apply when there are National holidays. See website for full T&Cs.}

Moving to uni can be a stressful experience – take it from someone who forgot their uni login on day 2! It can be a little more stressful for someone hard of hearing like myself though. You not only have the standard things you can mess up or forget, but a whole range of other things that can go wrong too.  Well, I’m here to give you a bit of a field guide to help you survive fresher’s week with your hearing aid intact!

Always remember – safety first. If you’re living in halls, inform the staff of your hearing loss in case of fire alarms, etc. Few places on earth get a false fire alarm as often as university halls, but to be fair, put hundreds of people who often haven’t really cooked for themselves before in one building and you can see why!

If you’re moving away from home at all, halls or otherwise, make sure you know where your next batteries are coming from. Either do some research to find  your nearest stockist, or update the address for your online subscription if you have one (you should! It’ll save you a lot of pointless walking to shops if you don’t have a car.)

Another pretty good early step is to tell your lecturers about your hearing loss at the start of the semester. Chances are, the uni will have told them, but it’s best to put a face to the name and check that the information has definitely gotten to them. Make sure you don’t miss things at your early lectures! They’re sometimes surprisingly important…Then there’s the standard advice that’s good anywhere. Keep spare hearing aid batteries in your bag. You don’t want to run out of power mid lecture, group session or conversation with that cute girl / guy at the Student’s Union bar.

Student services. They’re designed to help you out but you’d be surprised how many people ignore them. Like myself for example. My uni had a fair few helpful things for hard of hearing students like me available, I just hadn’t gone and asked about them! Well worth a quick detour if you’re on campus anyway.

Finally, find out if there’s a deaf society at your university you can join. Lots of universities have them, and it’s incredibly useful to have people you know in the area with similar challenges. If there isn’t one, try starting your own! Not only is it useful to have a community around you, creating stuff like this on your own initiative looks great on a CV in your final year…Whatever you choose to do, whichever pieces of advice you choose to take (if any!), uni is a great experience and you’re just getting started. Enjoy it!

As a teacher, sooner or later you come across children who need you to educate yourself in order to fully support them. Myself? I taught more children like this than most, and developed a few ideas that helped me to provide more easily for them. Hopefully, the ones I’m about to share will help your own child, and their teacher!

If you’re the parent of a hard of hearing child, like any parent you want the best for them, but you might also worry about any problems they might have due to their hearing loss. I was told this by parents time and again while teaching various hard of hearing children, but there are plenty of ways to put your mind at ease.

For example, simply talking to the other parents about your child’s hearing loss can go a long way towards ensuring as many people as possible can help when help is needed. Not only that, but it reassures you that their time at school, or even at a friend’s house after school, will go by without a hitch. So don’t shy away from all the party invites! Embrace them and educate the other parents, who are often more than willing to help or keep an eye out for you.

As for school itself, your child is one of many pupils under the responsibility of their teacher, a responsibility all teachers take very seriously. In all probability, your child’s teacher is as anxious as you are to make sure nothing disrupts your child’s day, or their learning! It’s in the best interests of both you and the teacher to have a detailed discussion to inform them of any requirements well in advance, so they can get any training they need or any equipment in place.

One of the things you’re probably worried about (many of the parents I dealt with were) is ensuring your child doesn’t run out of batteries during a school day! This is probably the easiest fix, as you may well already be getting your child into the habit of carrying spare batteries. All you need to do here is give a pack to the teacher to keep with them, just in case your child forgets theirs on the one day they end up needing them! You could even sticky tape them to the ‘cheatsheet’ you made earlier, to make sure it’s all organised and ready.

Finally, there’s a crucial step that some teachers might know from previous experience, but others may not. Make sure your child’s teacher knows how to change their hearing aid battery, and show them if they don’t. I have certainly struggled with this in the past  – there are so many more different designs than before nowadays!

Above all, remember that their teacher cares and worries about your child’s education as much as you do, and that in all likelihood, your child’s school experience will be a happy one!

Rayovac, the world’s leading hearing aid battery manufacturer, will exhibit at the HearBuy 2017 conference, this September.

Joining a number of key industry professionals, Rayovac will be showcasing its popular ProLine Excellence Club, a special business builder programme offered exclusively to independent audiologists that goes above and beyond the battery offering to provide a wider package of customer support.

The ProLine Excellence Club offers audiologists the best in hearing aid battery technology, combined premium packaging and an array of digital tools designed to help grow business and drive revenue.

ProLine customers also benefit from a full colour packaging customisation service, meaning practice logos and details can be printed directly onto packs, as well as a wide range of pack sizes and merchandising solutions.

To celebrate the event a special show offer will be available at the Rayovac booth.

The HearBuy Conference, at the Forest of Arden Marriott hotel near Birmingham, takes place over three days featuring a series of activities including a golf challenge, gala dinner and the main exhibition held on Friday 29th September.

CYCLING, SWEAT AND HEARING AIDS! SHANE PRENDERGAST SPEAKS TO RAYOVAC FOLLOWING HIS EXTREME CHALLENGES!

Shane Prendergast is a developer who lives in Macclesfield, UK, who is profoundly deaf. At around the age of 12 years old, Shane began to suffer hearing loss. It wasn’t until the age of 21 his hearing significantly declined and he became a hearing aid user. 

Shane has since gone on to cycle 3,200 miles from San Francisco to New York, to raise money for childhood deafness and cancer in a Ride for a Child campaign. If that wasn’t enough he has since been in triathlon training and completed the brutal Ironman challenge June this year!

We caught up with Shane to find out more.

How did you get started in Triathlons and Cycling?

My family has always been interested in cycling and my father cycled across America around 20 years ago. In 2015 I took up cycling with the aim of cycling America myself in 2016. Throughout the training I met so many incredibly fit people, many of whom were triathletes. I figured that I should make the most of my cycle training and try complete an ironman, arguably the most commonly known one day event out there.

How did you prepare for such physically and mentally tough events?

When I started training I was relatively unfit so it was a huge undertaking at the time. I got myself a trainer and he slowly built me up to the point where I was doing 30 hour weeks on the bike. This in itself is tough but combined with a 40 hour work week and everything else, things do start to become difficult to manage. That said, I did thoroughly enjoy the training and it has enhanced my life tenfold.

What obstacles has your hearing loss presented in to sport and how have you overcome them?

I find it especially hard to partake in team activities as I can’t hear them as well. Cycling, running and swimming are all great individual activities that don’t cause me any problems. However, when I am cycling with someone I try to make sure they’re on my “best” side so that I have a better chance of hearing them. They are also aware I won’t know they’re speaking unless I’m looking at them!

Do you wear your hearing aids during your sports/events?

I tend to take my hearing aids out during any physically activity. Mainly because I was worried about damaging them, e.g getting caught in a downpour, but also because I actually prefer to exercise without sound! Admittedly it was a little dangerous as first and you have to be aware of your surroundings, but once used to it, it is incredibly tranquil and you can focus easier.

How did you cope with batteries for your Hearing Aids on your trip across America?

I was given a load of hearing aid equipment prior to my departure to America. The local NHS department were aware of my challenge and provided me with backup hearing aids and also a ton of batteries.

What was your favourite part of the experience?

I went on the American ride with three friends and the memories and moments that we shared together will stay with me for the rest of my life. To cross such a vast country over a period of 28 days on a bicycle is an incredible experience! Specifically speaking, the Rocky Mountains, Appalachian Mountains, Nevada desert, seeing the American cultures and meeting the people and not to mention reaching the finish line!

How did the fundraising go?

I raised money for two charities, Action on hearing Loss and CLIC Sargent, who support young children with deafness and cancer. Having experience both deafness and cancer in my life I felt like I could make a difference in something that has personally effected me. I raised just short of £12,000, which was boosted to almost £13,500 with the government gift aid.

Who was your biggest supporter?

I had a few followers on social media and such. There were some who I know spent a lot of time helping me raising money or catching up on my latest posts. However my biggest supporter has to be my mother and father, both of whom were proud of my achievements.

Would you do any of these again, or do you have any more adventures lined up?

I always said that I wouldn’t do anything again but then found myself entering an Ironman! Admittedly it’s a bit of an addiction, and for me personally I always want to see how far I can push myself and what I can achieve. My dream trip would be to cycle the world but I’m not really in a position to do that right now!

What tips would give to a deaf or Hard of Hearing person wanting to do something similar?

The toughest challenge for me personally throughout my life is my deafness. It has been incredibly tough and it’s only in the past few years I have fully embraced my deafness and not let it hold me back. I made the mistake of trying to hide it too much and it impacted my life massively.  Be proud of who you are, everyone has problems and deafness is just another hurdle to overcome.

How has the use of hearing aids helped you in day to day life?

Without hearing aids I am effectively rendered totally deaf, I cannot hear anything without them and am totally dependent on them everyday. When my hearing wasn’t so severe adapting to hearing aids was a huge challenge but now that I’ve worn them for so long it has become second nature to me.

Hearing aid technology has advanced considerably since your first set, what developments would you like to see in the future?

Hearing aid technology has come on massively but if I could make one change it would be the development of moulds. How cool would it be to have a 3D scanner than instantly makes your moulds? I imagine this technology may already exist but it’s certainly not widely available. I have to wait multiple weeks on the NHS before receiving new moulds.

Communication is can often be difficult, what advice would you give to a hearing person when you are having a conversation?

I would always make an effort to make them aware of my deafness beforehand to help prevent any issues. I have found people are more understanding than you would think once they’re aware of my disability. Also, as a general rule for everyone, you should always treat people how you would expect to be treated. I have issues with my hearing and I realise that other people may have hidden issues too, you should always be kind to everyone you meet.

Knowing what you know now and have experienced, what advice would you give to your 12 year old self?

Whilst It would be great to tell him the easiest routes through life I most probably wouldn’t tell him anything and I feel that I needed to experience all the highs and lows to achieve the happiness that I feel almost twenty years later! I would probably just tell him: “everything will be alright in the end”!

Shane is an inspiration to us all at Rayovac HQ. All hearing aid users should feel empowered and take on great personal challenges no matter how big or small.  As long as you take care of your devices and have a positive mind, you can take on challenges just as extreme!

To find our more on Shane Prendergast’s cycling journey across America, please visit www.rideforthechild.co.uk.

If you have any stories you would like to share with Rayovac, please get in touch.

Rayovac, the world’s number one hearing aid battery manufacturer, has donated 6000 of its hearing aid batteries to a University’s charity project in India.

Rayovac, a division of Spectrum Brands Inc, donated the batteries to De Montfort University’s (DMU) Global/Square Mile Free Hearing Screening Trip to India, a charity initiative designed to create better access to hearing care for some on the country’s poorest people.

The initiative saw DMU students and staff visit India to lend support at hospitals and charities across the country.

More than 300 children and adults were screened for hearing conditions in the four day visit, with more than 100 people eventually fitted for hearing aids and given Rayovac batteries to power them.

Wendy Stevens, Senior Lecturer at DMU, said: “Our trip was very successful. The students learned a lot through the visit and at the same time we made a real difference to the lives of many of the people we encountered. None of this would have been possible without the very generous donation of batteries from Rayovac. We are so very grateful.”

Paula Brinson-Pyke, Marketing Director at Rayovac, said: “We were delighted to support the University’s mission to India by providing a battery donation and so pleased that the visit was a fantastic success.

“The students’ trip to India was not only very worthwhile, but also very much in line with our wider charitable goals. As well as manufacturing batteries, we strive to help people from around the world to enjoy better access to hearing care.”

Rayovac’s ongoing charity projects span Europe, Africa and Asia, and include regular support for UK charity Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and German charity, Deutschen Schwerhorigenbundes (DSB). The manufacturer has also donated batteries to Hark, Africa; SOS Children’s Village in Malawi and the Hörgerätebatterien project, Chernobyl.

Here at Rayovac our whole team is proud to get behind our long-standing commitment to supporting charitable causes.

We have a long history of partnership with Audition Solidarité, a hearing charity based in France that organises humanitarian missions to help hearing impaired children around the world.

Most recently we have donated thousands of hearing aid batteries and alkaline batteries to the charity’s Mission to Madagascar which took place in November.

Donations such as ours help Audition Solidarité to continue its life-changing work, making a difference to the lives of those suffering from hearing loss and deafness across the world.

The trip to Madagascar saw a team of hearing professionals visit a specialist school for deaf and hearing impaired children in order to educate both children and teachers on hearing best practice.

To find out more visit www.auditionsolidarite.org

This year we’re celebrating 110 years in operation and taking a look back at our proud history of innovation.

Rayovac first opened for business in 1906 in Wisconsin, USA. Our UK plant, in Washington, Tyne & Wear, followed in 1989 and we have been manufacturing and exporting batteries from both countries ever since.

Each year we export of hundreds of millions of hearing aid batteries to more than 85 countries around the world.

We’re proud of our long-standing position at the cutting edge of battery innovation – we’ve been responsible for some of the most ground-breaking advances in hearing technology, including the launch of its first ever zinc-air hearing aid battery in 1977, which remains the preferred chemistry for today’s hearing aid batteries.

More recently, in October 2014, we launched our first range of mercury-free products in Europe, once again leading the way in battery innovation.

Rayovac celebrated its 110th anniversary this year by showcasing its high-performance batteries at the 61st EUHA Congress in Hannover, Germany, this October (19th-21st).

Visitors discovered the battery manufacturer’s latest technology, designed to give hearing aid users their best battery experience from start to finish, guaranteed**.

Visitors to the stand also found out more about Rayovac’s business builder programme; the Rayovac ProLine Excellence Club.

Designed with audiologists in mind, the Excellence Club offers a high-performance premium product combined with a first class service, including a customisation programme, a speedy tracked shipping service, eye-catching marketing materials and more.

Paula Brinson-Pyke, Director of Marketing at Rayovac, a division of Spectrum Brands (UK) Ltd., said: “This is a significant year for Rayovac as we’re celebrating 110 years at the forefront of the battery industry, continuously developing technological advancements that keep us at the cutting edge.

“We are thrilled to have taken our anniversary celebrations to the 61st EUHA Congress in Hannover, It was great to meet so many audiologists and hearing professionals at the event to tell them more about our latest innovations, including the Rayovac ProLine Programme, which we are continually developing to give audiologists the very best support and advice.”

* based on internal company estimates

**Not completely satisfied in the performance of our zinc air hearing aid batteries? You’ll get your money back. Restrictions apply. See http://www.rayovac.eu/battery-safety for terms and conditions

Winter is fast approaching and to help you through the chill, we’ve pulled together a few handy hints and tips on caring for hearing aid batteries and devices in the colder months.

• Feeling the chill? Very cold temperatures can affect the performance of batteries and hearing aids. As temperatures fall, battery voltage is lowered and battery life can be reduced. It’s best to store at normal room temperature (around 20 degrees C) either in the pack or in one of our battery caddies.
• Care should be taken to protect batteries and hearing aids from wet winter weather. Water can cause damage to batteries and hearing aids, so they need to be kept somewhere free from condensation or damp. Opening battery doors gives moisture a chance to escape.  Alternatively, you can use a Rayovac Hearing Aid Battery Caddy!
• Sudden changes of temperature – such as heading outside into the cold from a warm room – can cause condensation inside hearing aids and affect the performance of the device or battery.
• Quick reminder! It’s worth checking with patients that they have enough batteries to last over the festive period when their go-to shops may be closed.