Japan's Daifuku is set to acquire the Jervis B. Webb Co. of Farmington Hills, Mich. The transaction is expected to be completed sometime this month, pending final government approvals.

The business deal means Modern's ranking of the world's top 20 systems suppliers may change next year. Daifuku, currently No. 2 on the list, has a chance to overtake Schaefer Holding International, which grew nearly 20% to take the No. 1 spot on our list for the first time this year. Webb holds the No. 15 spot.

Through the acquisition of Webb, Daifuku is accelerating the expansion and strengthening of its overseas business, an important goal in the three-year business plan Daifuku launched in April 2007.

“The complementary and supportive cultures of Daifuku and Webb will strengthen operations for both companies and help us grow internationally,” says Katsumi Takeuchi, president and CEO of Daifuku. “Daifuku has built its business with the idea that production and procurement should be near its customers, and the Webb acquisition further supports this goal.”

Daifuku will position Webb as a new core business within the Daifuku group. Whether the Webb brand will be preserved is yet to be determined.

“Daifuku understands that Webb has been around for 90 years, and they know what that brand has meant to the material handling industry, so they don't currently have plans to change that,” says Sarah Carlson, marketing manager for Jervis B. Webb. “Daifuku plans to allow us to continue to run our business as usual, so it will not change our contracts with channel partners. Our product lines complement each other, and that's why this is such a good fit for Webb and Daifuku.”

Ed Ray, general manager of Daifuku's international business development, adds that the merger of these two lines will open up a world of organizational possibilities as well, considering how close the two companies are philosophically.

“The lean philosophy Webb has espoused for some time is already ingrained at Daifuku,” Ray says. “Plus there is a positive atmosphere of cooperation among the top management of both companies.”

Daifuku executive vice president Masaki Hojo and Jervis B. Webb president and CEO Susan M. Webb will act as co-CEOs of the newly joined businesses.