Foreigners invest in N. American suppliers; Expansion-minded companies from Asia are especially active.(Suppliers)

Byline: Brent Snavely

For nearly two years, merger and acquisition pros have said foreign companies were shopping for U.S. auto suppliers. But actual deals were hard to find.

That's changing.

In recent months, several overseas automotive suppliers and manufacturers have invested or contemplated investing in the assets of North American suppliers. Analysts say the trend stems from a growing Asian automotive industry that seeks top technology and global manufacturing capabilities.

Potential sellers in North America include suppliers that continue to face diminishing production volumes resulting from the market share losses of their primary customers, as well as a host of other financial issues. Even healthy North American suppliers see opportunities in letting foreign companies invest in their business in return for more access to overseas …