Energizer moving headquarters to Clayton

The battery maker will lease 41,000 square feet at Forysth Boulevard and Maryland Avenue, according to real estate firm CBRE — roughly half the space it has occupied at its longtime headquarters at Interstate 64 and Highway 141 in Town and Country. 

Energizer will move into the new space, the Apex Oil Building at 8235 Forsyth, at the end of the year, the company said in a statement to the Post-Dispatch. 

“Like many organizations, Energizer Holdings has embraced flexible ways of working in recent years,” according to the statement. “We have also been exploring office space options within the St. Louis area to create the most efficient, engaging and collaborative working environment possible for our colleagues.”

Businesses in all industries are rethinking their office needs following the coronavirus pandemic, which has popularized hybrid, or remote, working. Companies like agribusiness giant Bayer, global footwear retailer Caleres and electrical equipment manufacturer Emerson have all downsized or announced their plans to do so. 

The shift has increased competition among landlords, who are spending millions to upgrade their buildings and offering more concessions in order to attract and retain tenants.

Energizer has been on the hunt for a while, with commercial real estate firms advertising the company’s entire space at 533 Maryville University Drive online for several years. The Post-Dispatch reported in May that the company was eyeing Clayton for the move. 

Last month, the company reported a 3% decline in revenue for the latest fiscal year, with $2.9 billion in net sales.  

The company employs over 5,000 people across the globe. Energizer did not answer a question about how many people it employs locally.