IN Brief:
- Nexans has agreed to acquire 100% of Republic Wire, a US manufacturer of low-voltage copper and aluminium wire products.
- The transaction values Republic Wire at around €680m, with a further earn-out of up to €43m potentially payable in 2028.
- The deal expands Nexans’ North American manufacturing and distribution platform as demand rises from residential, commercial, data centre, and grid markets.
Nexans has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of Republic Wire, expanding its position in the US low-voltage cable market and adding a manufacturing and distribution platform in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Republic Wire manufactures low-voltage copper and aluminium wire products for electrical wholesale distributors, utilities, and municipalities across the United States and Canada. Founded in 1982 and family-owned, the company generated around €520m in current revenue over the 12 months to February 2026.
The company operates a 32,500 sq m manufacturing facility equipped with significant automation and a newly completed 30,000 sq m warehouse and distribution centre. It employs more than 200 people and has recently completed an expansion programme that is expected to increase production capacity by approximately 30% once fully online by the end of 2026.
The transaction represents an enterprise value of around €680m, with an additional earn-out of up to €43m potentially payable in 2028 based on performance through the end of 2027. Republic Wire’s current management team, led by Ron and Jeremy Rosenbeck, will remain in place after completion.
Nexans expects the deal to close early in the third quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. The acquisition will be financed through a combination of debt and existing cash, with pro forma net leverage expected to rise to approximately 1.2 times net debt to 2025 adjusted EBITDA before returning below 1.0 times by the end of 2028.
The group expects approximately €23m of run-rate synergies within three years, with around half achieved in year one. Those synergies are expected to come from commercial cross-selling, medium-voltage and grid solution opportunities, manufacturing technology, purchasing scale, and industrial efficiency. Implementation costs are also expected to amount to around €23m.
Republic Wire complements Nexans’ recent purchase of Electro Cables in Canada and gives the group a wider platform across North America. Low- and medium-voltage cable demand is rising as residential construction, commercial buildings, data centres, utilities, and grid modernisation programmes compete for electrical materials.
Cable supply has become a more strategic part of electrification delivery. Grid operators, building services contractors, data centre developers, renewable projects, EV charging networks, industrial sites, and distribution utilities all rely on secure access to cables, conductors, accessories, and associated electrical components. Capacity, quality, availability, and proximity to market now shape project risk alongside equipment specification.
Manufacturers are responding by expanding regional production and tightening their position in key electrical equipment categories. ABB’s European medium-voltage manufacturing expansion adds capacity for switchgear, relays, automation, and grid components, while Hitachi Energy and Samsung C&T’s widened grid infrastructure alliance reflects growing demand for combined electrical systems, engineering, and delivery capability.
For Nexans, Republic Wire adds more than production capacity. It provides established distributor relationships and access to residential and commercial channels in a market where electrical wholesalers remain central to product flow. That distribution position supports cross-selling opportunities for a broader portfolio, including medium-voltage and grid-related products, into North American demand centres.
Data centres add another layer to the acquisition logic. US data centre growth is increasing demand for power connections, low-voltage distribution, backup systems, switchgear, cabling, and grid reinforcement. Cable manufacturers with automated domestic capacity and established logistics networks are positioned closer to a market where delivery schedules and electrical reliability are core procurement factors.
The transaction also illustrates how electrification is reshaping industrial consolidation. Manufacturers are using acquisitions to secure regional platforms, reduce exposure to long-distance supply chains, and expand into product categories tied to grid, building, and digital infrastructure growth. Republic Wire gives Nexans a stronger US base as electrical infrastructure demand becomes more local, more urgent, and more supply-chain sensitive.
Further information on the transaction is available from Nexans’ acquisition announcement.