Strategic bidder SPX Corp. (SPW) and at least four buyout firms have expressed interest in buying Gardner Denver Inc. (GDI), an industrial-equipment manufacturer with a market value of about $3.5 billion, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday on its website, citing three unnamed sources.

Private-equity companies including Bain Capital LLC, Blackstone Group LP (BX), Onex Corp. (OCX.T) and TPG Capital are also interested in Gardner Denver, the report cited one of the sources as saying.

With at least five potential suitors, there is an increased possibility that the company will be sold following pressure from activist investor ValueAct Holdings LP, though Gardner Denver has hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to defend itself against ValueAct, the report said. Bids are due this week, the sources said in the report.

Spokesmen for Gardner Denver and SPX didn't respond to requests for comment, the report said.

Full story: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-06/gardner-denver-said-to-draw-interest-from-spx-four-buyout-firms.html

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