[Edaily Reporter Shin Ha-yeon ] SM BEXEL CO.,LTD.(010580)is making its first foray into the overseas market by supplying alkaline batteries to “CP Axtra,” a retail subsidiary of Thailand’s CP Group.

SM BEXEL CO.,LTD., the manufacturing subsidiary of SM Group, announced on the 7th that it will supply “Bexel” alkaline batteries to large Thai marts, supermarkets, and online channels operated by CP Axtra.

This supply marks the first time Bexel batteries have entered overseas markets through major Southeast Asian distribution networks. The products are scheduled to ship in the middle of this month and will be sold through CP Extra’s local distribution network.

The CP Group operates a variety of businesses in Thailand, including retail, food, and telecommunications. It maintains a retail network across Thailand that includes approximately 2,600 “Makro” warehouse stores and “Lotus” hypermarkets and supermarkets, as well as approximately 13,000 7-Eleven stores.

CP Extra, the supplier for this initiative, is a retail subsidiary of the CP Group that operates Makro and Lotus’s. With annual revenue of 520.7 billion baht (approximately 20 trillion won) as of 2025, the company conducts business in Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Starting with this supply agreement, SM BEXEL CO.,LTD. plans to expand its supply volume and distribution channels based on local sales performance and consumer response. The company also intends to establish a medium- to long-term cooperative relationship, including pursuing a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with CP Extra.

The company is also working to expand its battery business portfolio. Building on its existing primary battery manufacturing capabilities, it plans to develop high-performance battery packs, smart battery management systems (BMS), and thermal management and lightweighting technologies to broaden its application areas to include drones, robots, and humanoids.

Choi Se-hwan, CEO of SM BEXEL CO.,LTD.’s Battery Business Division, stated, “The fact that Becel batteries have entered the distribution channels of CP Extra, which leads the Thai distribution market, is a major achievement that demonstrates global recognition of our quality and technological capabilities,” adding “Given Thailand’s large market size, we aim to use this entry as an opportunity to achieve sales exceeding our domestic figures in the primary battery sector—Bexel’s cash cow—and to significantly increase our market share in the Southeast Asian battery market by continuously expanding and strengthening our cooperation with the CP Group in the future,” he added.