Continuing its strategy of gaining overseas market by acquiring distributors, India’s compressor maker Elgi Equipments Ltd has bought Michigan Air Solutions (MAS) in the US for about $6 million, said a top official. He also said Elgi Equipments’ new plant to make motors will go on stream soon so that motor imports can be stopped.

“The investment in the motor plant will be about Rs 18-19 crore,” Jairam Varadaraj, Managing Director told reporters in December. Speaking about the US acquisition, Varadaraj said: “With about $10 million revenue, MAS is one of the largest distributors in Michigan and we had business relationship with the company. They looked at us as one of the possible suitors. We decided to buy.”

According to him, MAS will discontinue its relationship with other compressor makers and start selling only Elgi products. Varadaraj said the acquisition of MAS is expected to increase Elgi compressors marketshare in the US and the target revenue for financial year 2019 is set as $12 million. Last year Elgi Equipments had acquired Pulford, an air compressor distributor in Australia. “Compressor distribution is a legacy business. No new person gets into this business. Acquiring a competitor in the end is a losing business,” Varadaraj said.