Leading global power tool manufacturer Black & Decker has purchased Vector Products for $160 million in cash. Vector is a leading designer and marketer of consumer portable power products. The company, which had more than $150 million in sales last year, sells power inverters, jump-starters, vehicle battery chargers and rechargeable spotlights.

Commenting on the acquisition, Nolan Archibald, chairman and chief executive officer, said, “Vector is a highly innovative, fast-growing and profitable company that will fit well with the Black & Decker consumer products group. We began licensing the Black & Decker brand to Vector in 2005, and have become increasingly impressed with their talented team and entrepreneurial spirit over the past year. This acquisition will give us new technologies and categories that complement our world-class product development expertise, provide opportunities in the automotive and marine distribution channels, and generate synergies with our distribution network.

Archibald said the company expects the transaction will be slightly accretive to earnings per share in 2006, and will add 10 to 15 cents of annualized EPS in 2007. The company also expects it will be accretive to its return on capital employed in 2008.

“Black & Decker remains committed to disciplined stewardship of capital, and this transaction aligns very well with our bolt-on acquisition strategy,” said Archibald.

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