Graybar to Acquire Advantage Industrial Automation

ST. LOUIS, March 24, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical, communications and data networking products and provider of related supply chain management and logistics services, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Advantage Industrial Automation. The transaction is scheduled to close on April 1, 2015.

Headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, Advantage provides control and automation solutions to industrial users, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and system integrators. Advantage was founded in 1989 and has six locations in the southeastern United States. As a subsidiary of Graybar, the company will continue to operate under the Advantage Industrial Automation name with the same employees, leadership team and suppliers.

Kathleen M. Mazzarella, Graybar's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are pleased to welcome the Advantage team to Graybar. As we focus on growing our industrial business, Advantage brings valuable experience and a strong reputation as a provider of control and automation solutions. We are excited to move forward with this acquisition and see it as an important step toward accelerating our growth and expanding our reach in the future."

Ken Entrekin, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Advantage, stated, "We believe Graybar brings a multitude of resources and similar core values that will serve our company and our employees well for years to come. We look forward to positioning ourselves with this industry leader and expanding our business as part of the Graybar team."

"Advantage and Graybar are well aligned, with a shared focus on the industrial market and a commitment to adding value for our customers and suppliers," said Advantage co-founder and President, Chip Smith. "Together we can provide our mutual customers with superior capabilities and services that work to their advantage."

Graybar, a Fortune 500 corporation and one of the largest employee-owned companies in North America, is a leader in the distribution of high quality electrical, communications and data networking products, and specializes in related supply chain management and logistics services. Through its network of more than 260 North American distribution facilities, it stocks and sells products from thousands of manufacturers, helping its customers power, network and secure their facilities with speed, intelligence and efficiency. For more information, visit www.graybar.com or call 1-800-GRAYBAR.