Jackson, MS (January 10, 2007) - - Stuart C. Irby Co., a subsidiary of Sonepar USA, today signed an agreement to acquire Burmeister Electric Company of Minneapolis, MN and High Voltage Testing Laboratories (HVTL) of Fargo, ND effective January 1, 2007.

Burmeister was established in 1919 to serve utility companies in the Upper Midwest. While the initial focus of the company was the supply and service of metering products, the company has grown through the years, both in its product offering and territory, and now serves over 700 utility accounts in 8 mid-western states.

Burmeister is a full line stocking distributor and manufacturers’ agent offering quality products to the electric utilities for their transmission and distribution requirements. Their goal is to add value to the sale by offering local inventory, engineering support, product differentiation, and supply side management programs to assist customers in cost reduction solutions.

HVTL is a fully certified testing laboratory offering high voltage testing services and sales of PPE (personal protective equipment) safety products, used by electric utility lineman and field service personnel in the contractor and industrial markets.

Michael C. Wigton, President of Irby, says, “The people of Burmeister and HVTL have built a very strong business and earned an excellent reputation in our industry. They have developed very strategic and stable relationships with key industry suppliers that create tremendous value for their customers and their company. Burmeister is recognized by a number of manufacturers for their innovative sales approach to multiple markets and have been awarded the agency role in various territories. “

“The employees of Burmeister Electrical Group, the distribution & transmission segment of Burmeister Electric will continue to operate under the Burmeister name as a division of Irby. HVTL will transition to operate under the name Irby High Voltage Testing Laboratories to take advantage of the Irby name recognition in the industrial and contractor markets. Lonny Thimjon will continue in his role as President of both divisions. He and his management team have done a tremendous job in guiding the growth of Burmeister and HVTL and we look forward to their continued leadership.”

Lonny Thimjon, President of Burmeister, states, “Our Company prides itself on providing exceptional value, customer service, technical support and innovative logistics solutions to our customers. Both Irby and Burmeister have over 80 years of history serving our respective markets. Our companies are very similar in that we have built our businesses based on commitments to customer service and integrity. The decision to become part of Irby will help us expand our service capabilities and geography to ensure we offer the greatest value to our customers. The people of Burmeister/HVTL look forward to the new opportunities that will be created as a result of the combination of our businesses.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Irby will acquire all four of the Burmeister/HVTL locations; two in Minnesota, one in Iowa, and one in North Dakota. Additional terms of the agreement will not be disclosed.

Irby, headquartered in Jackson, MS, operates 54 branches in sixteen states and is one of the largest regional distributors in the United States. The employees of Irby serve customers in four major market segments – industrial, contractor, commercial and utility – with innovative products and services.

Sonepar is a privately owned company with headquarters located in Paris, France. With operations in 29 countries across four continents, the group’s 25,000 employees and 1,330 branches will generate 2006 sales exceeding $12.0 billion.

Stuart C. Irby Company was founded in 1926 and is based in Jackson, Mississippi with more than 700 employees in 48 locations in twelve states ( Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas). To find out more, go to www.irby.com or www.sonepar-usa.com.