Premier Farnell plc (LSE:PFL), the leading multi-channel, high service distributor supporting millions of engineers and purchasing professionals worldwide, announces the acquisition of CadSoft Computer GmbH, a well established market leader for over 20 years, and its EAGLE(TM) brand of electronic design engineer CAD software. The total purchase consideration has been satisfied in cash and consists of EUR7 million paid on completion and potential further payments not exceeding EUR5 million based on criteria specified in the sale and purchase agreement.

This enhancement to Premier Farnell's core strategy focuses on further meeting engineers needs for technology, information, tools and software, while internationalising the company's proposition and services for the rapidly developing Asian markets. This acquisition offers CadSoft's customers -- over 40,000 electronic design engineers throughout the USA and Europe -- easy access to Premier Farnell's growing range of product and technology.

In addition, the group's companies in the Asian region (Premier Electronics, Farnell Newark and Farnell) will be able to deliver this product to this fast growing, but relatively untapped region. The product's distribution and licensing options via element14 will allow engineers within these regions the needed access to the product. Premier Farnell plans to further extend the CAD software's capabilities by linking it to their databases in a similar methodology to the DesignLink platform.

"The CadSoft EAGLE CAD software extends our portfolio and gives us more tools to help our customers in their design process," said David Shen, Global Head of eCommerce and Technical Marketing of Premier Farnell. "When viewed in addition to our recent launch of DesignLink, the bridge from CAD tools to our product data and information, and element14, our new online community and resource centre, we are truly offering the EDE support right through the design process."

"We are excited by the opportunity this acquisition affords us to attract new design engineering customers as we offer them access to industry leading software and our outstanding range of products and support, said Harriet Green, CEO of Premier Farnell. "The EAGLE software will enable us to facilitate design exchange between engineers through element14, our design community, which when combined with our leading edge transactional websites offers customers a complete online solution to their purchasing and design needs".

About EAGLE CAD:

EAGLE's global popularity is due to its competitive pricing and multiple licensing options. It includes many features normally found in much more expensive tools such as; autorouter, copper pour, forward and back annotation, electrical and design rule checking, any-angle part placement and scripting to automate routine jobs such as placing card edge fingers and initializing title blocks. It also has a C-like, interpretive user language programming (ULP) facility that can be used to totally customize the tool including accessing and interacting with external files. Its tens of thousands of global users have contributed scores of such programs such as importing files in different CAD tool file formats and these are all available for use free of charge.

EAGLE can be downloaded directly from the tools section of element14 www.element-14.com; or indeed directly from the appropriate regional Premier Farnell company website, where an appropriate license can be purchased. The Eagle Light edition is free of charge and is an ideal evaluation tool. It is limited to a useable board size of 100x80mm, allows only two signal layers and the schematic editor can create only one sheet, other than that however, it offers all the functionality of the full versions. There are currently 11 license options to address a wide range of customer needs, with prices ranging from $49 to $1500. The purchased license simply unlocks the functionality from the freely downloaded software.

The high-end version handles board sizes to 1.6m x 1.6m, resolution of 0.1 micron, 16 signal layers, 999 schematic sheets, and an Autorouter with a "follow-me" routing capability that follows your mouse for semi-automatic routing. EAGLE supports many output file formats as Gerber, Excellon, Sieb&Meyer, Postscript, and its output can be customized to support any PCB house requirements.

About Premier Farnell

Premier Farnell plc (LSE:pfl) is a leading high service, multi-channel distributor of electronic, and industrial products and specialist services throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific. It goes to market with a differentiated value proposition, world-class marketing, a stocked range of 450,000+ products, and access to 4,000,000 more items from 3,500 top manufacturers. The company has group sales of GBP 823.1m and over 4,100 employees globally.

While global in scope, Premier Farnell recognizes the individual needs of each market and has continued to internationalize its model accordingly, trading locally under different brand names. Its primary electronics businesses trade as Farnell in the UK, India, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Newark in the US, Canada and Mexico, and Premier Electronics in China and Hong Kong. In Singapore, Malaysia, and Brazil the operation is known as Farnell Newark.

For more information visit the website at www.PremierFarnell.com.

SOURCE: Premier Farnell plc

Jenny Peters, Head of Corporate Communication Premier Farnell plc Tel: +44 (0) 207 851 4102 Email: jpeters@premierfarnell.com or Jonathan Roberts, Account Director Pinnacle Marketing Communications Ltd, Tel: +44 (0) 208 869 9339 Email: jonathan@pinnaclemarcom.com