Press Release
Illinois Tool Works Inc. Acquires Food Retail Weighing Business Avery Berkel
September 20, 2007
GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS - (September 20, 2007) - Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) today
announced that it has acquired the assets of Avery Berkel, the food retail weighing business
of Avery Weigh-Tronix. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Avery Berkel will be a wholly owned business unit of ITW and part of
the company's existing food equipment group. ITW will continue to operate
Avery Berkel as a separate business under the Avery Berkel brand name.
"Avery Berkel is considered a market-leading manufacturer of retail scales
and other food processing equipment for both the independent and multi-chain
supermarkets throughout Europe," said Marc Fooksman, president of ITW's Food
Processing Equipment Group. "The newly-acquired company fits well into our portfolio
of businesses and expands the footprint of ITW's food equipment group in Europe."
The new managing director, John Watson, formerly director of Avery Berkel UK and
Avery Berkel North America said, "The acquisition brings even more prospects for Avery
Berkel's growth. With the backing of a proven development-based owner like ITW, our product
engineers can now concentrate on what they do best - designing innovative product ranges aimed
at maximizing our customers' profitable fresh food businesses."
For over 200 years, Avery Berkel has supplied a broad range of weighing equipment
to meet the demands of both the industrial and retail sectors. Now, with the separation
of the two businesses, Avery Berkel has become a dedicated retail solutions company,
focused solely on developing fresh food weighing systems, software and services for its
core retail customers worldwide. Based in Smethwick, near Birmingham, UK, it also has
operations in Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, and the United States. Avery Berkel
also sells its products through distributors in other parts of the world.
ITW is a $14.1 billion in revenues diversified manufacturer of highly engineered
components and industrial systems and consumables. The company consists of approximately
825 business units in 52 countries and employs some 60,000 people.
SOURCE Illinois Tool Works Inc.
CONTACT: Alison Donnelly of Illinois Tool Works Inc., +1-847-657-4565, or adonnelly@itw.com