ABB to buy Baldor Electric

In an acquisition that's sure to send shock waves through the motor market, ABB Ltd. (ABB), Zurich, Switzerland, announced plans to buy Baldor Electric, Fort Smith, Ark. According to a Baldor press release, this acquisition will enable ABB to penetrate the North American industrial market by using Baldor's strong North American market access and will allow Baldor to expand globally by using ABB's distribution network abroad. ABB plans to acquire Baldor for $63.50 per share for an overall transaction value of $4.2 billion, including net debt of $1.1 billion.