Present-day plate processing offers ample opportunity for improvement within lead-acid battery plants. An inorganic, glass micro-fiber, active-material additive has been found to improve plate processing and lower cost in many of the various operations. This additive allows paste batches to be made with higher moisture contents that improve grid filling and paste texture through higher malleability and reduced resistance to flow. The additive also acts as a bulking agent to extend the plate yield of paste batches, which results in lower cost of active material per plate. Energy consumption and operation throughput in plate making is improved by lower flash-dryer temperatures on the pasting line and by a substantial reduction in curing time. Plates made with the additive have decreased paste pellet friability, which reduces battery assembly scrap. The additive also lowers plate surface dusting that results from handling and thus offers the battery manufacturer the opportunity of lowering lead-in-air emissions within the battery plant. Plates made with the additive have been found to have higher surface area and increased active-material utilization, which can enhance battery performance. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.