Alpharetta auto battery maker Exide reorganizing

Exide Technologies, the Alpharetta-based car and truck battery maker, said Wednesday it is reorganizing its research and development division in a strategy shift aimed at increasing productivity and collaboration that will create 60 jobs.

It was not immediately known how many of those 60 engineering jobs will be in metro Atlanta versus other Exide locations. But under the reorganization, the Global, Development and Engineering division now will have three units — the Advanced Research and Development Organization and two Global Product Development Centers.

The first unit will be based in Alpharetta and headed by Rick Johnson, Exide’s vice president of engineering for transportation in the Americas. Under his new role, he’ll be responsible for overseeing development of technologies that can be brought to market over the next two to five years, with a key focus on renewable energy storage.

The two product development centers — one in Alpharetta focused on transportation and the other in Buedingen, Germany, focused on industrial energy — are charged with designing products.

“We are working to assemble the best teams in the industry to direct our efforts in becoming a worldwide leader in innovative technology solutions for tomorrow,” Gordon Ulsh, Exide’s president and chief executive said in a statement the company released after the markets closed Wednesday. “This investment in our Global RD&E organization clearly underscores Exide’s commitment to the development of new products and technology. Our strategy is designed to enable Exide to participate in emerging markets and technologies for hybrid electric vehicles, energy storage, and renewable energy generation.”

Exide shares rose 35 cents or more than 7 percent to close Wednesday at $5.10 per share.