Rexel Archives

Paris-based Sonepar's unsolicited $3.5 billion (2.5 billion euro) bid Oct. 8 for Hagemeyer NV shook the electrical distribution world this week. Hagemeyer rejected the offer, saying it significantly undervalues the company." Nevertheless, the Netherlands-based company says it will meet with Sonepar to "clarify its intentions.

Based on comments by Hagemeyer CEO Rudi de Becker in August, Hagemeyer is not interested in selling. Still, Sonepar will likely try to persuade the company's board and raise its bid.

Joining Sonepar and Hagemeyer would create a global powerhouse with revenues of roughly 15 billion euro (US$21 billion), based on the two companies'reported sales in 2006. The merger would also mean greater and complementary market coverage for both companies ...

October 10, 2007

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Commentary: Sonepar’s Goal with Hagemeyer Deal

As our lead article notes, the big attraction for Sonepar is Hagemeyer's North American industrial business. Sonepar's U.S. customer base is 64 percent electrical contractors and only 14 percent industrial. Hagemeyer's North American operations are 85 industrial and 15 percent contractor. Sonepar would get a well-developed integrated supply business with more diversified products.
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You have to ask how the model developed for a century or so by Cameron & Barkley and acquired by Hagemeyer at the turn of this century would change& hellip; again -for customers, vendors and employees.
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Will we see more diversification across channels? Is it possible to buy growth in big chunks and combine different pieces to produce a profitable entity? Recent history seems to ...

October 10, 2007

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Hagemeyer: Sonepar’s Bid Is Too Low

Hagemeyer NV said in a press release Tuesday that Sonepar's unsolicited bid of US$3.5 billion (2.5 billion euro) significantly undervalues the company." Hagemeyer says it will meet with Sonepar to "clarify its intentions."
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Paris-based Sonepar announced in an unsolicited offer that it would pay 4.25 euro in cash per share for the Netherlands-based distributor. The global electrical distributor notified Hagemeyer of its intention on Monday, Oct. 8.
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The joining of Sonepar and Hagemeyer would create a global electrical distribution giant with global revenues of roughly 15.5 billion euro (US$22 billion), based on the two companies' reported sales in 2006. In North America, Hagemeyer did close to $2 billion in sales in 2006. The Sonepar USA division is reported to ...

October 9, 2007

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Report: Rexel Has 30 Potential Acquisitions in Sight

Forbes is reporting that Rexel Chairman Jean-Charles Pauze said in the electrical distributor's second-quarter conference call that the company has 30 potential acquisitions in its sights, with total revenues of 1 billion euro.
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The list of potential acquisitions are weighted toward emerging markets.
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Thanks to acquisitions, Rexel's second-quarter rose nearly 30% to US$3.73 billion (2.729 billion euros). Organic growth was 3.3%.

Sales in the first half of 2007 were up 30% to US$7.3 billion (5.3 billion euros). Organic growth was 4.5%.

Strong sales in Europe and Asia-Pacific more than offset the slowdown in North America," Pauze said in a release.

By region:

Asia-Pacific: ...

August 2, 2007

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Rexel Makes Three Acquisitions

Rexel, the Paris-based distributor of electrical supplies, has made three acquisitions in Belgium, the United Kingdom and the U.S. The moves follow Rexel's bolt-on acquisition strategy aimed at broadening its footprint in Europe and North America.
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U.S.: Tri-Valley Electric Supply
Tri-Valley Electric Supply is an electrical and datacom distributor that serves commercial and industrial segments in Arizona. Tri-Valley posted 2006 sales of US$5.5 million (& euro; 4M) and has 15 employees.
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Belgium: Boutet
Boutet is a distributor of electrical supplies in Eastern Belgium with sales of & euro; 18 million (US$24.5M) in 2006 and 50 employees. Through this acquisition, Rexel Belgium, which already has 26 branches, will further ...

July 3, 2007

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GE Supply Now Named Gexpro

GE Supply will now be named Gexpro. The name change follows the acquisition of GE Supply by Rexel, Paris-based distributor of electrical supplies. Gexpro, a $2.7 billion unit, will continue to operate as an independent Rexel banner in the U.S.
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The brand will be formally announced May 6, 2007, at the National Association of Electrical Distributors meeting in Washington, D.C.
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Gexpro, Shelton, CT, is a full-line, international distributor of electrical parts, power generation products, voice and data equipment, fasteners and security equipment. In Ireland, the company will continue to do business as Kellihers ...

May 7, 2007

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Rexel Reports Flat Growth in North America

Paris-based electrical distributor Rexel Inc. reported sales of 2.576 million euro (US$3.509 billion) in the first quarter 2007, up 31% from the same period last year. Growth was 5.9% on a comparable basis.
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Rexel saw double-digit organic growth in Europe and Asia-Pacific, with flat sales in North America.
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Sales in the U.S. grew 1.1%. The West Coast, Florida and Mid-Atlantic regions, where Rexel has higher exposure to residential activity, were hit by the decline of residential and related commercial construction projects. The South Central and Southern regions, where industrial activity is stronger than construction, fueled organic growth. Industrial and automation equipment posted growth of 4.5% for the quarter.
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Canada saw growth of 2.5% ...

April 24, 2007

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Rexel to List on European Exchange April 5

Paris-based electrical distributor Rexel will be officially listed Thursday, April 5, 2007, on Eurolist by Euronext, a European exchange. Forbes reports that the company will set a price for its initial public offering Wednesday night, aiming toward the lower end of 16.35-19.00 euros.

(Here's a pdf of the details of the offer. Look to the second half of the document for English.)

Owners of Rexel, Eurazeo, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, and Merrill Lynch, will maintain control over the distributor. The group is seeking to raise around 1.015 billion euro at the midpoint of the price range, ...

April 4, 2007

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Rexel Takes First Steps Toward IPO

Paris-based Rexel, a global electrical distributor, has filed regulatory documents with France's market regulator,&nbsp ; AMF,&nbsp ; in the first step towards a possible listing of Rexel on Euronext Paris. (The filing, found here by MDM on AMF's Web site, is in French.)

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Rexel was bought about two years ago by a group of private equity firms, including Merrill Lynch, Eurazeo and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. A spokesman for Rexel told Agence France-Presse that the filing made with the ...

February 22, 2007

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Rexel Posts 11% Organic Sales Growth in 2006

Rexel reported sales for fiscal 2006 at 9.3 billion euro, or $12.1 billion, up 26% from 2005, and up 11.1% on a comparable basis (same scope of consolidation, exchange rates and business days).

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In North America, Rexel sales reached $5.2 billion, up 12.2% on a comparable basis from last year. Sales for the fourth quarter were $1.62 billion, up 4% from the same period a year ago on a comparable basis.

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Sales in Europe reached $5.9 billion for the year. Operations there posted double-digit growth.

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Overall, sales for Rexel in the fourth quarter were $3.5 billion.

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CEO Jean-Charles Pauze said that the performance, in part, reflects increases in ...