Avnet Buys Japanese Electronics Distributor

Avnet Inc., Phoenix, has entered into an agreement to acquire Nippon Denso Industry Co. Ltd. of Japan (NDI) through its subsidiary, Avnet Japan Co., Ltd. NDI is a Tokyo-based, value-added distributor of electronic components with annual revenues of approximately $170 million. For the past 50 years, it has introduced suppliers’ leading technologies into customers’ end products. The transaction is expected to close by Dec. 29.

"This acquisition expands our presence and enhances our competitive position in one of the world’s largest markets for electronic components," said Harley Feldberg, global president of Avnet Electronics Marketing, an operating group of Avnet, Inc. "NDI brings Avnet exciting new talent with significant design and engineering expertise which, when combined with our existing team, accelerates our growth in this strategic country by increasing the value we deliver to customers and suppliers alike."

NDI was founded by its chairman, Shozo Kawabata, in 1958. Yukio Kawabata serves as president and will continue to serve as a member of the executive management team of Avnet Electronics Marketing Japan. Besides a Shibaura, Tokyo-based headquarters and warehouse, NDI also has five sales offices within Japan, two international sales offices based in Singapore and Hong Kong and an international subsidiary in Shanghai, China. With the addition of NDI, Avnet EM will more than double its business in Japan. Avnet operates in 70 countries worldwide and had fiscal 2008 sales of $17.6 billion.