The shortest month of the year was lackluster for distribution merger-and-acquisition activity, so Arrow Electronics' three purchases stood out as the company expanded its global footprint and diversified its portfolio.
The Centennial, CO-based electronics distributor acquired United Technical Publishing, a division of Hearst Business Media and digital provider of product information to the global electronics components industry.
It also bought RDC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Computacenter UK Ltd, for £56M (US$84 million). And it agreed to acquire ATM Electronic Corp., an electronic component distributor based in Taiwan with substantial operations in China and 2014 sales of $500 million.
But despite Arrow's flurry of deals, the biggest M&A news in February involved a proposed merger that wasn't approved and may never close.
The Federal Trade Commission said it will seek a preliminary injunction to prevent Sysco and U.S. Foods from completing their proposed merger, even after Sysco said it would sell 11 U.S. Foods facilities to appease regulators.
The gases & welding sector reported three key acquisitions in February. Matheson Tri-Gas Inc., Basking Ridge, NJ, a subsidiary of the Japanese company Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corp., acquired Sims Welding Supply, Long Beach, CA.
Tech Air, a Danbury, CT-based distributor of industrial, medical and specialty gases and related welding supplies, agreed to acquire New York-based Prest-O-Sales & Service Inc. and Prest-O-Peconic Inc. (its second acquisition in two months). And Memphis, TN-based gases and welding supplies distributor nexAir agreed to acquire Welders Supply & Equipment Co. Inc., Montgomery, AL, a distributor for welding and medical equipment, gases and safety supplies with two locations Alabama.
Here are other key deals that occurred in February 2015:
Sonepar Acquires German Distributor
Ferguson Makes Acquisitions in Colorado, Iowa
Bunzl Makes Acquisitions in Canada, Spain
Anixter to Sell Fasteners Segment for $380 Million
Motion Industries Acquires Oil & Gas Supply
Ryan Herco Flow Solutions Acquires GFI Stainless
RelaDyne Acquires Fentress Oil, Greg Wright Supply
Builders FirstSource Acquires Timber Tech Texas
Fairmont Supply Sold to Private Equity Fund
Northern Safety Acquires Southland Industrial Supply
BDI Acquires Munnell & Sherrill
VWR Acquires National Biochemicals
Continental Closes $1.6B Purchase of Veyance Technologies
Myers Industries Sells Lawn & Garden Business
PPG Looks to Buy Majority Stake in LJF's Sealants Business
3M to Acquire Polypore’s Separations Media Business
