Ingram And Chs Keep Mum On Vobis Acquisition Stories

Computergram International, July 6, 1998

Two US computer retail giants, Ingram Micro Inc and CHS Electronics Inc, declined to comment on stories circulating in Europe that suggest they are maintaining parallel negotiations with German conglomerate Metro for acquisition of Vobis Microcomputer, one of Europe's last remaining PC makers. German newspaper Die Welt suggests the price being asked for Vobis is $58m.

While neither of the US groups will confirm the talks, it would come as no surprise for them to be underway, given the consolidation presently underway in the sector in Europe. Ingram has this year acquired the assembly facilities of ailing Dutch PC manufacturer Tulip Computer NV (CI No 3,414), as well as retailer Macrotron in Germany from US rival TechData (CI No 3,429), after the latter bought the country's largest computer retailer, Computer 2000 (CI No 3,389). Meanwhile CHS bought Metrologie in France (CI No 3,396).