The biggest maker of Raspberry Pis was just acquired for $871 million

By Praveen Jami
on June 20, 2016 10:41 am

Premier Farnell, the biggest maker of the wildly popular Raspberry Pi minicomputer, is now being acquired by Daetwyler Holding AG, a Swiss industrial component supplier, for approximately $871 million. According to Bloomberg, the union will reportedly allow both companies to better compete in the components market.

"By combining forces, we significantly increase our competitiveness and extend our product range," Daetwyler Chairman Ulrich Graf said in a statement, "facilitating a one-stop shopping experience for our wide range of customers from a multitude of industries."

PREMIER FARNELL IS ONE OF JUST A FEW COMPANIES WITH A LICENSE TO DISTRIBUTE RASPBERRY PIS

The UK-based Premier Farnell, which has been distributing electronics since the 1930s, is one of just a few companies with a license to design and distribute Raspberry Pis, which has wide applications for makers, engineers, and educators. The credit card-sized devices are a big part of the company's business; according to The Wall Street Journal, the division in charge of the Pi — which makes such models as the $5 Pi Zero and the $33 Pi 2 and Pi 3 — pulled in 16 percent of the company's total revenue last year.

Daetwyler makes and distributes electronics and sealing solutions for a variety of industries, so there's considerable overlap between its business and Premier Farnell. Today's acquisition hopefully means the Pi will become even more readily available in the future.

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