The German equipment manufacturer BENTELER AUTOMOBILTECHNICK GMBH & CO KG is on the verge of acquiring PD&E AUTOMOTIVE BV, engineering subsidiary of NEDCAR, 100% owned Dutch subsidiary of the Japanese MITSUBISHI. BENTELER recorded a turnover of close to EUR 3 billion in 2001 with four activities (automobile equipment, tubes, mechanical engineering and trading) and a workforce of 17,500 people in 37 factories.