Sonepar buys large Brazilian distributor

Sonepar's announcement earlier today that it had acquired Rosa Leal, reportedly the fourth biggest name in the Brazilian market with 12 operating companies, 700 employees and 16 branches, is the third acquisition of a Brazilian distributor this year.

As previously reported in Electrical Marketing's LiveWire, Rexel International acquired Brazil's Delamano and Etil in February, adding €100 million ($130.7 million) in sales. Rexel had also previously acquired Nortel Suprimentos Industriais, a large industrial distributor that does approximately €120 million ($156.9 million) sales.

Rosa Lisa had 2011 sales of €85 million(US $113.269) and will be adding to Sonepar's growing business in Brazil, where it has been operating since 2001. According to the press release announcing the acquisition, “The acquisition of Rosa Leal represents a logical step in Sonepar's strategy of focusing investment on high-growth countries. In keeping with its overall approach, Sonepar has continued to make targeted acquisitions based on strong partnerships with local management teams. We are confident that the teams of Rosa Leal, under the leadership of Pompeu Rosa and Miguel Leal, the two founders of the company, will bring a major contribution to our profitable overall growth in Brazil.”

The press release also said that in 10 Brazilian states that account for 80 percent of the country's economic activity, Sonepar is now present through 12 operating companies: Centelha, Dimensional, DW, Eletronor, Emel, Petrocam, Proelt, Proex, Rosa Leal Painéis, Sandler, Tecnosisa and Walter Schmidt.