CHICAGO, June 1, 2012 – Littelfuse, Inc. (NASDAQ:LFUS), the global leader in circuit protection, today announced it has acquired ACCEL AB, based in Vänersborg, Sweden, in a cash transaction. ACCEL is a manufacturer of advanced electromechanical products, including sensors and switches, primarily for the automotive industry. ACCEL had 2011 revenues of approximately €16 million.
“The acquisition of ACCEL gives us an initial foothold in the growing automotive sensor market and is consistent with our strategy to expand beyond circuit protection into adjacent, complementary technologies,” said Dieter Roeder, Vice President and General Manager of the Littelfuse Automotive Business Unit.
“ACCEL’s pipeline of new products and strong relationships with OEM and Tier 1 automotive customers around the world provide excellent growth opportunities for Littelfuse. In addition, ACCEL’s facility in Kaunas, Lithuania, provides us with a low-cost manufacturing base in Eastern Europe,” added Roeder.
Magnus Nilsson, Managing Director of ACCEL, said, “We are excited to join Littelfuse. The company’s strong global presence will enable us to better serve our customers and expand our business into new geographies. The good cultural fit and many synergies between the two companies will provide long-term benefits for both organizations.”
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to Littelfuse earnings in 2012.
About ACCEL
ACCEL is a leading supplier and manufacturer of electric and electromechanical products and components for the automotive industry. Its products are marketed through four main product groups: solar sensors, hall sensors for passenger retention systems, water in fuel sensors and steering wheel switches. Founded in 1987, ACCEL began as a marketing and technical support company for Japanese and Italian component manufacturers. In 1994, its Lithuanian production plant, UAB ACCEL Elektronika, was established in co-operation with UAB Terra, a Lithuanian electronics company. The company has approximately 300 employees.
About Littelfuse
Founded in 1927, Littelfuse, Inc., the worldwide leader in circuit protection, offers the industry’s broadest and deepest portfolio of circuit protection products and solutions. Littelfuse devices protect products in virtually every market that uses electrical energy, from consumer electronics to automobiles to industrial equipment. In addition to its Chicago, Illinois, world headquarters, Littelfuse has more than 20 sales, distribution, manufacturing and engineering facilities in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Technologies offered by Littelfuse include Fuses; Gas Discharge Tubes (GDTs); Positive Temperature Coefficient Devices (PTCs); Protection Relays; PulseGuard® ESD Suppressors; SIDACtor® Protection Thyristors; TVS Diode Arrays (SPA™ Family of Products); Switching Thyristors; TVS Diodes and Varistors. The company also offers a comprehensive line of highly reliable Electromechanical and Electronic Switch and Control Devices for commercial and specialty vehicles, as well as underground Power Distribution Centers for safe control and distribution of electricity in mining operations.
For more information, please visit our website at littelfuse.com.
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