The Baldor acquisition
Although initial contacts between ABB and US motor manufacturer Baldor had started a few months earlier, it was only in January 2010 when ABB finally made an unofficial offer for all of Baldor’s shares at $36 a piece. Baldor was one of the lead manufacturers of NEMA-compliant motors, the US specific standard, and the opportunity was great for ABB because the combination would allow the Zurich-based company to improve its position in the North American market while using Baldor’s distribution network to sell ABB’s drives. The huge value potential of the deal was however jeopardized by the two companies’ different cultures and the special consideration of Baldor as a family-founded company with strong values and close ties to the community.
The case is a good illustration of the acquisition process from initiation to completion. The case stops at the point where ABB makes a final offer, which is rejected by Baldor. The question is then how to proceed. The case can also be used to illustrate cultural differences in the context of acquisitions, the choice of means of payments, legal considerations in the process, and the role of the due diligence team.
Asea Brown Boveri
2010-2011
Cranfield University
Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
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Harvard Business School Publishing
60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
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NUCB Business School
1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]
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Case reference: IMD-7-2639 ©2025
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