DES PLAINES, Ill.—September 30, 2005 Littelfuse, Inc. (Nasdaq/NMS:LFUS) announces its successful transfer of controlling interest of the WICKMANN Group and its Wickmann, Efen and Pudenz brands of circuit protection products from Heinrich Industrie, Essen, Germany.
The addition of the Pudenz automotive team adds a powerful engineering and product development capability to Littelfuse. Additionally the European automotive sales team is strengthened with the addition of a knowledgeable and responsive senior sales staff. Pudenz automotive products greatly increase the breadth and depth of Littelfuse's automotive portfolio. Pudenz contributions to the Littelfuse portfolio include high-current multi-element MasterFuse® products, BF Inline® high-current inline cable protection fuses, battery disconnect systems, blade fuses, bolt down fuses, fuse-holders and aftermarket fuse products for vehicles and automotive equipment.
“Our customers want us close to their locations - engineering, manufacturing and selling, shoulder-to-shoulder with their globally distributed operations,” said Tracy Crawford, Director of Marketing, “this move strengthens our ability to support our customers the way they want to be supported.”
This acquisition will directly benefit automotive customers by providing them unparalleled access to product, technical expertise, technical support, and applications assistance. In addition, this strategic move strengthens Littelfuse's position as the world's leading provider of circuit protection solutions.
"The WICKMANN Group adds powerful brand names to the Littelfuse portfolio of circuit protection solutions, and greatly enhances the company's position as the world leader in circuit protection," said Gordon Hunter, Chairman, President and CEO of Littelfuse. "In addition, with this acquisition we gain some of the world's finest technical support and application assistance. The WICKMANN Group helps make us a significantly more global company than we were just a few years ago."
The WICKMANN Group's electronic products are marketed under the Wickmann name. The product line includes fuses for a variety of electronic devices in the consumer, data and telecom markets. Automotive products sold under the Pudenz name included blade fuses, bolt down fuses, fuse-holders and aftermarket fuse products for vehicles and automotive equipment. Products for the electrical business are marketed under the Efen name and include power fuses and fuse switches for electric power distribution equipment and other industrial applications. WICKMANN Group annualized sales by unit in 2004 were approximately EUR 35 million for electronic, EUR 15 million for automotive and EUR 25 million for electrical. The company has facilities in Germany, Hungary and China, and sales offices in key regions throughout the world.
リテルヒューズ会社案内 1927年に創立した Littelfuse, Inc. は、業界で最も豊富な回路保護関連製品およびソリューションのバリエーションを提供する、回路保護分野の世界的大手企業です。リテルヒューズの機器は民生用電子機器から自動車、工業機材にいたるまで、実質的にあらゆる市場の電力製品を保護します。イリノイ州シカゴに構える本社のほか、南北米大陸、ヨーロッパ、アジアでセールス、販売、製造、エンジニアリング施設など 20 ヶ所以上のロケーションを有しています。リテルヒューズが提供するテクノロジーには、ヒューズ、ガスアレスター (GDT)、正温度係数機器 (PTC)、保護リレー、PulseGuard® ESD サプレッサ、交流用シリコンダイオード機器、TVS ダイオードアレイ（SPA™ 製品群）、スイッチングサイリスタ、TVS ダイオード、バリスタなどが挙げられます。また、商用車や特殊車両の電気機械、電子機器用スイッチおよび制御装置、そして地下配電センターなどの高信頼性製品の総合的なラインナップも展開しています。
詳細については弊社ウェブサイト www.littelfuse.com をご覧ください。
LFUS-A
1995年私募証券訴訟改革法の「セーフハーバー」条項。本文に記載された将来の見通しに関する記述には、製品需要および市場の受け入れ、経済状況の影響、製品および価格の競争による影響、製品開発および特許権の保護、商業化や技術面における問題、生産能力や供給上の制約および困難、為替相場変動、契約下での実際の販売、リテルヒューズの会計方針に関連する影響、ならびにリテルヒューズの証券取引委員会に対する申告に説明されるその他のリスクを含み、またそれらに限定されないリスクおよび不確実性が伴います。