Taiwan Components Maker Is Said to Explore $1 Billion-Plus Sale

(Bloomberg) -- Precision Motion Industries Inc., whose components are used in semiconductor equipment, is exploring a sale that could value the Taiwanese company at more than $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

Closely held PMI is working with a financial adviser on the potential deal, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private. The company has attracted interest from private-equity firms and other industrial companies, one of the people said.

Any deal would add to the $4.5 billion of announced acquisitions of Taiwanese companies this year, compared with $3.9 billion during the same period in 2017, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. In July, a consortium led by KKR & Co. agreed to acquire Taipei-based LCY Chemical Corp. in a deal valued at NT$47.8 billion ($1.6 billion).

Deliberations on any sale of Taichung-based PMI are at an early stage, and the company could still decide against a deal, the people said. PMI didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Founded in 1990, PMI makes ball screws and other components used in precision machinery for plastics injection, semiconductor manufacturing and metal shaping, its website shows.

--With assistance from Chinmei Sung.

To contact the reporters on this story: Vinicy Chan in Hong Kong at vchan91@bloomberg.net;Manuel Baigorri in Hong Kong at mbaigorri@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Ben Scent at bscent@bloomberg.net, Timothy Sifert, Paul Panckhurst

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