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                                                                      EXHIBIT 4a

                           ANIXTER INTERNATIONAL INC.

                        2001 MID-LEVEL STOCK OPTION PLAN

   1. PURPOSE AND EFFECTIVE DATE. Anixter International Inc. (the "Company") has
established this 2001 Mid-Level Stock Option Plan (the "Plan") to facilitate the
retention and continued motivation of key mid-level employees and to align more
closely their interests with those of the Company and its stockholders. The
effective date of the Plan shall be February 14, 2001.

   2. ADMINISTRATION. The Plan shall be administered by the Board of Directors,
or the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors or such other
Board committee as the Board may designate (the "Committee"). The Committee has
the authority and responsibility for the interpretation, administration and
application of the provisions of the Plan, and the Committee's interpretations
of the Plan, and all actions taken by it and determinations made by it shall be
binding on all persons. No Board or Committee member shall be liable for any
determination, decision or action made in good faith with respect to the Plan.

   3. SHARES SUBJECT TO PLAN. A total of 700,000 shares of Common Stock of the
Company ("Shares") may be issued pursuant to the Plan. The Shares may be
authorized but unissued Shares or Shares reacquired by the Company and held in
its treasury. Grants of incentive awards under the Plan will reduce the number
of Shares available thereunder by the maximum number of Shares obtainable under
such grants. The number of Shares covered by or specified in the Plan and the
number of Shares and the purchase price for Shares under any outstanding awards,
may be adjusted proportionately by the Committee for any increase or decrease in
the number of issued Shares or any change in the value of the Shares resulting
from a subdivision or consolidation of Shares, reorganization, recapitalization,
spin-off, payment of stock dividends on the Shares, any other increase or
decrease in the number of issued Shares made without receipt of consideration by
the Company, or the payment of an extraordinary cash dividend.

   4. ELIGIBILITY. All mid-level employees, of the Company and its subsidiaries
are eligible to be selected to receive a grant under the Plan by the Committee.
The Committee may condition eligibility under the Plan or participation under
the Plan, and any grant or exercise of an incentive award under the Plan on such
conditions, limitations or restrictions as the Committee determines to be
appropriate for any reason.

   5. AWARDS. The Committee may grant awards under the Plan to eligible persons
in the form of stock options and shall establish the number of Shares subject to
each such grant and the terms thereof, including any adjustments for
reorganizations and dividends, subject to the following:

     (a) All options granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by agreements in
         such form and containing such terms and conditions not inconsistent
         with the Plan as the Committee shall prescribe.

     (b) The exercise price of any option shall not be less than the fair market
         value of a corresponding number of Shares as of the date of grant.

     (c) No person may be granted options under the Plan for more than 25,000
         Shares.

     (d) No options may be granted under the Plan to any officer of the Company.

     (e) No options may be granted under the Plan after the 2001 annual meeting
         of stockholders of the Company.


    6. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN. The Board of Directors or the Committee may
from time to time suspend, terminate, revise or amend the Plan or the terms of
any grant in any respect whatsoever.

                               Adopted on the 14th of February, 2001, by the
                               Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors
                               of Anixter International Inc.

                                                /s/ James E. Knox
                                                ----------------------
                                                James E. Knox
                                                Secretary