News | November 6, 2000

Cooper acquires Willsher & Quick

This purchase adds to Cooper's telecommunications and electronic enclosures offerings.

Cooper Industries, Inc. (Houston, TX) has acquired Willsher & Quick (W&Q; Highbridge, Somerset, England) — a privately held manufacturer of standard and custom enclosures for electronic system components such as computers, servers and data networks. W&Q's major markets include the telecommunications, data storage and Internet services industries with annual sales of approximately $19 million. Willsher & Quick will become a part of Cooper's B-Line division.

Acquired for approximately $11 million, Willsher & Quick is expected to contribute to Cooper's earnings beginning in 2001. Further information is available on a Form 8-K that will be filed today with the SEC.

"Our second-quarter addition of B-Line provided Cooper a solid position in the electrical and electronic enclosures market and an excellent platform for enhanced core growth and for complementary acquisitions," said H. John Riley, Jr., chairman, president and chief executive officer, Cooper Industries.

"Our strategy is to expand this high-growth business worldwide and W&Q is an excellent step in realizing that goal. Their well-established market channels dramatically expand Cooper's selling opportunities in Europe. At the same time, W&Qs proprietary products and designs further strengthen Cooper's existing enclosure lines."

Edited by Jerry R. Borland, P.E.
Managing Editor, EC Online
jborland@vertical.net