Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Not all bad it seems

While still reeling from the public relations disaster of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Vice Minister Kitabata Takao's idiotic (if horribly predictable) remarks, continued government-business collusion in the stiffing of activist investors and a move toward main-bank defenses against acquisition, a bit of good news on the Japan M&A front:

Newell Rubbermaid to Acquire Aprica
Associated Press

By HARRY R. WEBER – ATLANTA — Consumer products maker Newell Rubbermaid said Monday it has agreed to buy a Japanese maker of strollers, car seats and other children's products.

The Atlanta-based company said it is acquiring Osaka, Japan-based Aprica Kassai Inc. for an undisclosed sum...

A U.S. public company will acquire a premium brand of Japanese manufactured goods, albeit a brand with a drastically shrinking domestic market, in what seems an entirely amicable transaction.

Gee ...why don't all these stories end this way?

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2 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:04 PM

    Quick. Japan has to pass a law restricting non-Japanese ownership of baby/child related products manufacturers. To prevent "confusion" of course.

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  2. Anonymous11:46 AM

    Strollers, car seats, and baby products in Japan. Hmm. . . Either Newell Rubbermaid has a good export strategy in mind or their next big move is going to be the purchase of Brylcreem. Maybe they can get into the 3.5" floppy business, too.

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