PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT NO. 8

$792,000,000

ANIXTER INTERNATIONAL INC.
LIQUID YIELD OPTION(TM) NOTES DUE 2020
(ZERO COUPON -- SENIOR)
AND
COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON
CONVERSION OF THE LYONS

This prospectus supplement supplements the prospectus dated August 30, 2000
of Anixter International Inc., as supplemented September 8, 2000, September 15,
2000, September 29, 2000, October 10, 2000, October 17, 2000, November 20, 2000
and December 1, 2000 relating to the sale by certain of our securityholders
(including their pledgees, donees, transferees or other successors) of up to
$792,000,000 principal amount at maturity of LYONs and up to 5,908,558 shares of
common stock to be issued upon conversion of the LYONs. You should read this
prospectus supplement in conjunction with the prospectus, and this prospectus
supplement is qualified by reference to the prospectus except to the extent that
the information in this prospectus supplement supersedes the information
contained in the prospectus. Capitalized terms used in this prospectus
supplement and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings specified in the
prospectus.

The table of Selling Securityholders contained in the prospectus is hereby
amended to add the entity named below as a Selling Securityholder.

AGGREGATE
PRINCIPAL AMOUNT
OF LYONS AT NUMBER OF SHARES
MATURITY THAT OF COMMON STOCK
MAY BE SOLD THAT MAY BE SOLD
---------------- ----------------

Pacific Life Insurance Company.................... 3,500,000 26,111

Additionally, the following line items in the table of Selling Securityholders are hereby
amended as follows:

Chrysler Corporation Master Retirement Trust...... $ 7,715,000 57,556
Delta Airlines Master Retirement Trust............ 1,985,000 14,808
McMahan Securities Co. L.P........................ 70,000 522
Motion Picture Industry Health Plan -- Active
Member Fund..................................... 895,000 6,676
Motion Picture Industry Health Plan -- Retiree
Member Fund..................................... 450,000 3,357
OCM Convertible Trust............................. 3,245,000 24,208
Partner Reinsurance Company, Ltd.................. 1,530,000 11,414
State Employees' Retirement Fund of the State of
Delaware........................................ 3,900,000 29,095
State of Connecticut Combined Investment Funds.... 8,705,000 64,941
Vanguard Convertible Securities Fund, Inc......... 9,075,000 67,702
Total................................... 773,040,000 5,767,080

INVESTING IN THE LYONS OR THE COMMON STOCK INVOLVES RISKS DESCRIBED IN THE
"RISK FACTORS" SECTION BEGINNING ON PAGE 9 OF THE PROSPECTUS.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities
commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this
prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a
criminal offense.

(TM) TRADEMARK OF MERRILL LYNCH & CO.

The date of this prospectus supplement is January 12, 2001