Carlisle Group Acquires Japanese Largest Steel Ball Maker, Tsubaki Nakashima

Carlisle Group agreed with Tsubaki Nakashima, Japanese major steel ball maker, to acquire Tsubaki Nakashima’s all shares at approximately 60 billion yen including debt. Tsubaki Nakashima leverages global network of Carlisle and builds up business bases in North and Latin Americas, Europe and Asia.

Tsubaki Nakashima was established in 1936, which has production bases in Nara, Nagasaki, Okayama in Japan and the U.S.A., Poland, China, Taiwan and India at overseas. The firm is the world top maker of steel ball for bearing.

Domestic demand is expanding for steel ball but the firm’s consolidated sales decreased by about 30% year-on-year to 17.2 billion yen in the business year ended in March 2010. The firm aims to accelerate growing strategy in emerging countries through interest assignment to Carlisle.