<p>A look at some events in the history of Rayovac Corp.:</p><p>1906 _ Founded as French Battery Company in Madison, Wis.</p><p>mid 1930s _ Renamed the Rayovac Company.</p><p>1933 _ Rayovac patents first wearable vacuum tube hearing aid.</p><p>1937 _ Company patents the first portability radio with high-fidelity reception.</p><p>1995 _ Basketball star Michael Jordan becomes spokesman for renewable alkaline batteries and power station chargers.</p><p>1997 _ Rayovac makes initial public offering of 6.7 million shares at $14 per share.</p><p>2002 _Rayovac introduces new logo, packaging.</p><p>2002 _ Rayovac announces plans to cut 630 jobs worldwide by closing three plants and building a new $20 million facility in Illinois as part of a restructuring plan.</p><p>The move eliminated 280 jobs at a Madison packaging center and a Middleton distribution center.</p><p>2003 _ Rayovac buys Remington Products Co., a designer and distributor of battery-powered electric shavers and grooming products, for $165 million.</p><p>__</p><p>Source: Rayovac Corp.</p>
