US Manufacturer Agrees to Chile Buy

Cleveland, Ohio-based Eaton Corporation is poised to acquire Chile’s Rolec Comercial e Industrial, subject to closing conditions, the company says. Rolec is a 73-year-old family business with 630 employees, according to a source familiar with the business. It makes integrated power assemblies and switchgear, with products used in Chile and Peru for mining and other industrial applications. Eaton, meanwhile, cites Rolec’s relationships as valuable to its growing business in Chile and Peru in sectors such as mining, pulp and paper, and energy infrastructure. “We are excited to add Rolec’s capabilities to our expanding operations in South America,” says Rich Stinson, president, Power Distribution for Eaton’s Electrical Americas Region, in a statement. Eaton had 2011 sales of $16.0bn.