Investment company Madison Dearborn Partners has announced that it is buying IT sales company CDW for $7.3 bn (€5.4 bn). CDW has a workforce of 5,600 and made a turnover of $6.8 bn in 2006. CDW shareholders will get $87-75 cash per share in a deal estimated to total $7.3 bn. The deal is subject to approval by CDW shareholders and the standard authorisation procedures, and is expected to go through at the end of the third quarter or start of the first quarter 2007. (gc)