-------------------------------
                                              /        OMB APPROVAL         /
                                              -------------------------------
                                              / OMB Number:       3235-0145 /
                                              / Expires:   October 31, 2002 /
                                              / Estimated average burden    /
                                              / hours per response....14.90 /
                                              -------------------------------


                                 UNITED STATES
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C. 20549


                                 SCHEDULE 13G



                   Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                             (Amendment No._____)*

                          Anixter International, Inc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               (Name of Issuer)


                                 Common Stock
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        (Title of Class of Securities)

                                   035290105
                        ------------------------------
                                (CUSIP Number)


Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement [_]. (A fee
is not required only if the filing person: (1) has a previous statement on file
reporting beneficial ownership of more than five percent of the class of
securities described in Item 1; and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent
thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less of such
class.) (See Rule 13d-7).

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).

SEC 1745 (10-88)


-------------------------                                     ------------------
  CUSIP NO. 035290105                                         Page 2 of 5 Pages
-------------------------                                     ------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS.
 1    I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY).

      ARIEL CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.            John W. Rogers, Jr.
      IRS ID # 36-3219058                       SSN # 360-52-3254

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
 2                                                              (a) [_]
                                                                (b) [_]
      Not Applicable

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      SEC USE ONLY
 3



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 4

      Illinois Corporation

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          SOLE VOTING POWER
                     5
     NUMBER OF            Ariel - 2,023,930                         Rogers - 0

      SHARES       -------------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED VOTING POWER
   BENEFICIALLY      6
                          Ariel - 0                                 Rogers - 0
     OWNED BY
                   -------------------------------------------------------------
       EACH               SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                     7
    REPORTING             Ariel - 2,146,230                         Rogers - 0

      PERSON       -------------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
       WITH          8
                          Ariel - 0                                 Rogers - 0

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 9
                          Ariel - 2,146,230                         Rogers - 0

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
10
                          Not Applicable

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
11
                          Ariel - 2,146,230 / 37,231,237 = 5.76%    Rogers - 0%

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON *(SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
12
                          Ariel - IA                                Rogers - HC

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILING OUT!

*  This report is being made on behalf of John W. Rogers, Jr., Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of Ariel Capital Management, Inc., who may be deemed to
have beneficial ownership of the securities of the issuer. Mr. Rogers disclaims
beneficial ownership of shares held by Ariel Capital Management, Inc.


                                                                Date:  04/30/01
                                                                       --------
                                                                    Page 3 of 5

Item 1(a)     Name of Issuer

              Anixter International, Inc.
              ---------------------------

Item 1(b)     Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices

              4711 Golf Road; Skokie, IL 60076
              --------------------------------

Item 2(a)     Name of Person Filing

              Ariel Capital Management, Inc.
              ------------------------------

Item 2(b)     Address of Principal Business Office:

              200 E. Randolph Drive, Suite 2900, Chicago, IL 60601
              ----------------------------------------------------

Item 2(c)     Citizenship:

              an Illinois corporation
              -----------------------

Item 2(d)     Title of Class of Securities:

              Common Stock
              ------------

Item 2(e)     CUSIP Number

              035290105
              ---------

Item 3.       This statement is filed pursuant to 13d-1(b) or 13d-2(b) and the
              person filing is an investment adviser registered under section
              203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.


Item 4.       Ownership.

              (a)  Amount beneficially owned:

                   (See Page 2, No. 9)
                   -------------------


                                                                Date:  04/30/01
                                                                       --------
                                                                    Page 4 of 5
           (b)  Percent of class:

                (See Page 2, No. 11)
                --------------------

           (c)  Number of shares as to which the person has:

                (i)   Sole power to vote or to direct the vote
                      (See Page 2, No. 5)
                      -------------------

                (ii)  Shared power to vote or to direct the vote
                      (See Page 2, No. 6)
                      -------------------

                (ii)  Sole power to dispose or to direct the
                      disposition of  (See Page 2, No. 7)
                                      -------------------

                (iii) Shared power to dispose or to direct the
                      disposition of  (See Page 2, No. 8)
                                      -------------------

Item 5.    Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.

               If this statement is being filed to report the fact that
          as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the
          beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities,
          check the following: [_]

Item 6.    Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.

               All securities reported upon this Schedule are owned by
          investment advisory clients of Ariel Capital Management, Inc., no one
          of which to the knowledge of Ariel Capital Management, Inc. owns more
          than 5% of the class.

Item 7.   Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the
          Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company.

          Not Applicable
          --------------

Item 8.   Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

          Not Applicable
          ---------------

Item 9.   Notice of Dissolution of a Group

          Not Applicable
          --------------

Item 10.  Certification

               By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
          belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in
          the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not held
          for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the
          control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are
          not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction
          having that purpose or effect.


                                                                Date:  04/30/01
                                                                       --------
                                                                    Page 5 of 5



                                   SIGNATURE

     The undersigned hereby agree that this statement is being filed on behalf
of each of them and hereby certify, after reasonable inquiry and to the best of
their knowledge and belief, that the information set forth in this statement is
true, complete and correct.


                                        ARIEL CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.


                                        By:  /s/ Eric T. McKissack
                                           ----------------------------------
                                                 Eric T. McKissack
                                                 Co-Chief Investment Officer and
                                                 Senior Vice President


                                       JOHN W. ROGERS, JR.*
                                       --------------------
                                       JOHN W. ROGERS, JR.


                                       *By:  /s/ Eric T. McKissack
                                             ----------------------
                                                 Eric T. McKissack


DATED:  April 3, 2000
        -------------

     * Eric T. McKissack signs this document on behalf of John W. Rogers, Jr.
pursuant to the power of attorney attached as Exhibit 1 to the Schedule 13G
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about January 10, 1994,
on behalf of Ariel Capital Management, Inc. and John W. Rogers, Jr. with respect
to Oshkosk B'Gosh, Incorporated, which said power of attorney is hereby
incorporated by reference.