TOKYO : U.S. private equity firm Carlyle Group Inc aims to enlarge its footprint in the Japanese automotive sector as the global shift to electric vehicles shakes the industry's supply chain, its executives said.
"They are thinking very innovatively what they can do, and that's creating a lot of opportunities for private equity," Terasaka said, pointing to Carlyle's global business networks, which its portfolio companies could tap to find potential partners abroad. But the shift to EVs, which require fewer parts but different expertise, such as software engineering, will likely reshape Japan's core industry, analysts say.
Carlyle this month announced a 38 billion yen tender offer for Totoku Electric Co Ltd, an electric-wire maker whose products include wiring for automotive seat heaters.