Southwire To Buy FlatWire Business

Sept. 9, 2005
Giving it access to FlatWire-ready technology, Southwire Co., Carrollton, Ga., has agreed to acquire DeCorp Inc., Hendersonville, Tenn.

Giving it access to FlatWire-ready technology, Southwire Co., Carrollton, Ga., has agreed to acquire DeCorp Inc., Hendersonville, Tenn.

Under the product names DeWire, DeCable and DeCord, DeCorp has developed a variety of 110/120 AC audio, video, electrical and data cable products in 12 AWG, 14 AWG and 18 AWG. Unlike traditional round wire, the company’s FlatWire-ready products are wide and thin, allowing installation under carpet and tile and beneath wallpaper and paint.

“With the FlatWire-ready concept, wishful thinking becomes reality,” said Jack Carlson, president of Southwire’s Electrical Division.

“Electricity can be used more creatively at a very reasonable cost. By adding FlatWire to our product line, Southwire is building on its commitment to make life easier for our customers by providing convenient and affordable solutions to their electrical needs.”

With products under development, homeowners wanting to complete small improvement projects, such as adding accent lighting, will no longer have to cut or bore into walls or ceilings, according to Carlson. Almost paper-thin, FlatWire-ready products can be adhered to a wall. Then it’s a simple as adding a layer of spackling compound and painting or papering over the wire.

“This acquisition gives us access to Southwire’s expertise in product development, manufacturing and marketing, all areas where it is an industry leader,” said Robert Sexton, president of DeCorp. “Southwire provides the perfect opportunity to get FlatWire-ready technology to a new, broader market.”

“DeCorp has proved the reliability and convenience of this unique technology through its audio and video cable products,” Carlson said.

“With the skill of the research team at Southwire’s D.B. Cofer Technology Center, we plan to duplicate that success with new electrical wire products.”