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Mergers & Acquisitions 2001
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The information below comes from the UK Activity Report.
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Pneumatic Conveying Systems, the Stockport-based manufacturer of vacuum conveying equipment, has been acquired by K-Tron of the US. 21-Dec-2001

SATRA Technology Centre has acquired Hampden Test Equipment, the manufacturer of abrasion test machines and ozone cabinets with annual turnover of £2m. 21-Dec-2001

Fillmore Packaging has acquired PP&P of Corby in order to expand its presence in the corrosion inhibitor packaging market, and the PP&P staff and stock have already relocated to Wellingborough. 19-Dec-2001

Katsouris Fresh Foods, the Wembley-based manufacturer of dips and samosas, has been acquired by Bakkavor of Iceland for £102m. 19-Dec-2001

Carlton Barclay has acquired Litho-Tech, the London-based corporate sheet fed printer, for undisclosed terms, and will shed about 30 of the 260-strong workforce. 18-Dec-2001

Mayfayre Window Systems, the Barnsley-based architectural products company with annual turnover of £2.3m, has undergone a management buy-out. 18-Dec-2001

TGI, the hi-fi manufacturer, has accepted a £15m takeover bid from TC Group of Denmark. 17-Dec-2001

Frazier International, the Dumfries-based office equipment refurbishing company with 140 staff, has been acquired by MIREC of the Netherlands for £10m. 12-Dec-2001

Matthew Charlton & Sons, the Hexham-based chain of builders' merchants with 210 staff, has been acquired by Jewson for undisclosed terms. 05-Dec-2001

Withers has announced plans to merge with New York-based Bergman Horowitz & Reynolds to create a leading international law firm focused on the private client market. 05-Dec-2001

ISS is to acquire two damage recovery companies - Ark & General of Staffordshire and Electromec of Skipton - for undisclosed terms. 03-Dec-2001

Ravenstock Tam, the provider of site accommodation, has been acquired by Mobile Storage Group of the US for undisclosed terms, and the new owner is setting up a European headquarters in Middlesbrough. 29-Nov-2001

Think Natural and Greenfingers are to merge their online retailing businesses into a new group called TNGf, enabling them to share warehouse and back-office functions and to shed 20 jobs. 27-Nov-2001

Blue Band Express has undergone a management buy-in for undisclosed terms, and plans to provide a nationwide delivery service from its 13 depots. 23-Nov-2001

Biddle, the Nuneaton-based heating manufacturer, has been acquired by Carver of Walsall for £13m. 22-Nov-2001

Ferschl has acquired Cleveland Flexible Engineering, the Teesside-based manufacturer of stainless steel flexible hoses, and is now looking to increase capacity at its tubeform division and invest in new machinery and personnel. 22-Nov-2001

Thomsons, the Manchester-based independent financial adviser, has been acquired by AWD of Germany for £31m. 22-Nov-2001

P&O Princess Cruises has announced a £4.2bn merger with Royal Caribbean Cruises, which will create a combined group with 41 ships and 40,000 staff. 21-Nov-2001

Time2Learn is to acquire Intellexis International for £2.2m, in order to expand its financial and personal development e-learning business. 20-Nov-2001

Ebenezer Baylis, the Worcester-based catalogue and book printer, has been acquired by John Goodman & Sons of Birmingham, creating a combined group with 150 staff and turnover of £12m. 20-Nov-2001

Beldray, the Bilston-based manufacturer of ironing boards and ironmongery, has undergone a management buy-out for a nominal sum, securing the future of 300 jobs. 16-Nov-2001

Cuttle McLeod Construction has been acquired by Broadwell Holdings of the West Midlands for £5.5m. 15-Nov-2001

STP Group, the door manufacturer with 300 staff and manufacturing sites in Yorkshire and Coventry, has undergone a £15m management buy-out. 14-Nov-2001

Alito Colour Group has bought Keldia, the Walthamstow-based printing company, out of administration and is planning to move to larger London premises early next year. 13-Nov-2001

United Packaging, the Cleckheaton-based manufacturer of stretch wrapping machines, has been acquired by MJ Maillis of Greece. 13-Nov-2001

Obvious Solutions has acquired Icarus, the Manchester-based recruitment consultancy, for £0.5m, and is now looking to expand into London and the US. 13-Nov-2001

Skanska Networks has acquired MGT, the Leeds-based telecoms installation contractor with 400 staff, for £4.2m and plans to establish a new head office in the city. 07-Nov-2001

Peebles Publishing, the Glasgow-based publisher of trade journals with 45 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms, and will be renamed Peebles Media. 07-Nov-2001

Lydney Products, the Forest of Dean-based manufacturer of interiors for buses and trains, has been bought out of administration by Lydney Vehicle Systems, saving 60 jobs. 07-Nov-2001

Box Carton has acquired Swan Fields Packaging to create a combined carton and litho laminated box business with sales of £7m, and Box Carton will transfer its business from Birmingham to the Swan Fields site in West Bromwich. 06-Nov-2001

Galleon Group, the graphics design and interactive media business, is to carry out a reverse takeover of Andaman Resources in a £13m deal that will give it a listing on Aim. 06-Nov-2001

Overseal Foods, the supplier of food colours, is being sold by RHM to Braes Group for £25m. 06-Nov-2001

BD Kendle Engineering, the Yarmouth-based supplier of equipment to the oil and gas industry, has been acquired by Weatherford International of the US in a deal estimated at £10m. 30-Oct-2001

Berry Birch & Noble is planning a reverse takeover of the Berkeley independent financial advisory business, in a deal that values Berkeley at £70m. 30-Oct-2001

Biggart Baillie has acquired Steedman Ramage, the law firm with 44 employees and offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh. 26-Oct-2001

Brockhampton, the owner of Portsmouth Water, is planning to undergo a £71m management buy-out, involving the creation of a special purpose buy-out vehicle called South Downs. 25-Oct-2001

Chesapeake has sold its Consumer Promotions International display business, which includes 140 staff at a factory in Leicester, to a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 23-Oct-2001

Putsmans and Willcox Lane Clutterbuck are to merge to create a combined Birmingham-based law firm with 21 partners and more than 220 staff. 22-Oct-2001

EMT Healthcare has bought Estchem Wholesale Supplies, the Manchester-based distributor of pharmaceutical products, for undisclosed terms. 19-Oct-2001

Cox Radcliffe has sold its Merseyside bakery interests to Preston-based Bako for £3m, in order to focus on supplying the takeaway and restaurant sectors. 18-Oct-2001

Oscar Faber, the engineering and facilities management consultancy, has been acquired by Maunsell for undisclosed terms, creating a new group called Faber Maunsell. 18-Oct-2001

Bals Electrical Engineering, the Wakefield-based supplier of electricity sub-station services with 170 staff, has been acquired by General Electric of the US for undisclosed terms. 17-Oct-2001

Credit Suisse Asset Management is to acquire Sun Life of Canada's UK fund management operations for up to £130m. 16-Oct-2001

MiniBusPlus, the minibus insurance wholesaler, has undergone a management buy-out from Bayliss & Cooke for several million pounds. 12-Oct-2001

Tagsa, the Newbury-based manufacturer of self-adhesive materials, has been acquired by Adhesive Specialities of London. 09-Oct-2001

Food From Scotland has acquired Le Maison Du Patissier, the supplier of bread and desserts to the catering sector. 08-Oct-2001

Askern has sold its South Yorkshire-based steel reels business to a management buy-out for £1.5m, and the business will be renamed as Zoto Engineering. 05-Oct-2001

Bellow Machine Company has acquired the SMP sewing machine parts business from British Mohair for undisclosed terms, which will involve the transfer of seven SMP staff from Bradford to Leeds. 04-Oct-2001

Barric, the Diss-based contract electronics manufacturer with 35 staff, has undergone a £1.9m management buy-out. 04-Oct-2001

Xtreme Information, the advertising monitoring service, is to be acquired by Veronis Suhler of the US for about £35m. 01-Oct-2001

Bowmer Bond Narrow Fabrics, the Ashbourne-based fabric manufacturer with 100 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 27-Sep-2001

Baromix, the manufacturer of concrete mixers, has been acquired by Altrad of France for undisclosed terms. 27-Sep-2001

Manro Performance Chemicals, the Stalybridge-based surfactants manufacturer with 125 employees, has been acquired by Stepan Company of the US for undisclosed terms. 25-Sep-2001

Textflow is expanding its Belfast-based printing business with the acquisition of the Northern Ireland operations of logistics company Astron. 20-Sep-2001

Medicals Direct has acquired the medico-legal and clinics operations of The Lancer Group, in order to expand its business in the insurance and legal industries. 14-Sep-2001

Roxton Bailey Robinson, the operator of hunting and fishing holidays, has merged with Frontiers International of the US to create a combined group called Frontiers & Roxton with £40m annual turnover. 10-Sep-2001

Elmar Services, the Aberdeen-based manufacturer of oilfield pressure control equipment with 250 staff, has been bought by Varco International of the US for undisclosed terms. 07-Sep-2001

Ben Burgess & Co is expanding its agricultural engineering business in East Anglia through the acquisition of three Blyth & Pawsey depots in Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and Saffron Walden. 07-Sep-2001

Advance Visual Communications has acquired Xoo, the London-based new media consultancy, for £0.1m. 04-Sep-2001

Drinkwater Engineering and The Vehicle Application Centre have merged their neighbouring engineering businesses in Leyland, with the loss of 14 jobs. 04-Sep-2001

Merlin Colour Printers of Canvey has been acquired by Nottingham-based print management specialist Bridge Direct, securing the future of 25 jobs. 27-Aug-2001

Impress Group has sold its Paterson photographic equipment division to a management buy-out for undisclosed terms, and the eight staff will be relocated from Telford to Tipton. 24-Aug-2001

Icollector, the online auction business, is to be acquired by Ableauctions of the US for up to £9.6m, on the condition that a £2.4m share placing goes ahead. 23-Aug-2001

Sphinx CST, the Lynx subsidiary, is to sell its Cisco networking products business to Ingram Micro for about £10m. 22-Aug-2001

Avery Dennison Roll Label, the Cumbernauld-based supplier of self-adhesive labels with 50 staff, has been sold to management and changed its name to Merroc. 21-Aug-2001

Owen Brown, the supplier of tents for outside events that employs 70 staff in Castle Donington, has been acquired by Generale Location of France. 20-Aug-2001

William M Mercer is to acquire SCA Consulting, the supplier of advice on performance-related pay packages, for undisclosed terms. 20-Aug-2001

Asda Property is being acquired by a management buy-out backed by British Land for £232m. 20-Aug-2001

Bulgin has acquired Powertron, the Cambridge-based manufacturer of power management products, for about £1m. 17-Aug-2001

Intrukt has acquired Office Star Yorkshire, the Ripon-based office supplies company with 15 staff, as part of a strategy to develop a nationwide network. 16-Aug-2001

Market Research Solutions has been acquired by Harris Interactive of the US, which will involve the transfer of 75 staff at offices in Oxford, North London and Newport. 16-Aug-2001

Mace Limited, the construction management company with 700 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 16-Aug-2001

Kingfisher Construction Services, the East Midlands retail refurbishment specialist, is to undergo a £3m management buy-out. 14-Aug-2001

CampusLink has acquired NetNet, the rival supplier of telecoms services to universities. 13-Aug-2001

Seacon Holdings, the freight forwarding company, is to be acquired by a new company called JCR for £11m. 13-Aug-2001

Balli has acquired Klockner from Eon of Germany for £670m, in order to become one of the largest independent steel distributors in the world. 09-Aug-2001

Uvine has acquired wine merchant Michael Morgan for undisclosed terms, in order to add storage and transport facilities to its online wine exchange business. 06-Aug-2001

BV Group is to acquire Midnight Communications, the public relations company with offices in London and Brighton, for up to £1m. 03-Aug-2001

Myson Pumps has undergone a management buy-out from Baxi Heating, securing the future of 150 jobs in King's Lynn, and the business will be renamed Circulating Pumps. 03-Aug-2001

Survey Supplies, the distributor of surveying equipment, has acquired the Huntingdon office of Californian firm Trimble Navigation, which will involve the transfer of 14 staff. 02-Aug-2001

Tripod Crest, the Northampton-based road builder, has undergone a £20m management buy-out. 02-Aug-2001

Mettoni has acquired Symetris, the supplier of communications systems and e-business solutions, for £4.4m, and the enlarged operation will form the core of the new Mettoni Systems Integration business. 30-Jul-2001

Lister Bestcare, the supplier of body scanning units for the NHS and private hospitals, has doubled in size following the acquisition of Westminster Healthcare's diagnostic units in London, East Anglia and the south east. 27-Jul-2001

Ellis Fairbank, the Yorkshire recruitment group with about 100 consultants, has undergone a £19m management buy-out backed by Lloyds TSB Development Capital. 25-Jul-2001

The Phone People has been bought out of administration by a consortium named Stablestock, and the new owners plan to reopen 23 stores over the next four weeks. 25-Jul-2001

Aero-Print, the Aylesbury-based airline ticket printer with 100 staff, has been bought out of administration by Avia Invest Leasing. 24-Jul-2001

Rohan, the outdoor clothing supplier with 23 shops, has been acquired by Piper Private Equity and the Baring English Growth Fund for undisclosed terms. 24-Jul-2001

HSBC Private Equity has sold Mira Showers, the former Caradon division, to Kohler of the US for £301m. 20-Jul-2001

Humber Growers has acquired tomato grower Van Heyningen Brothers for about £10m, and the new group will have more than 1,000 staff and trade as Humber VHB. 19-Jul-2001

Charnwood Group of Leicester has merged with Tubbs Group, which has operations in Nottingham and Wiltshire, to create a combined elastic manufacturing business called Stretchline with 500 staff. 19-Jul-2001

Cakebread Robey, the London-based builders merchant, has been acquired by Jewson for £7.4m. 19-Jul-2001

Ley Rubber, the Liverpool-based manufacturer of rubber stoppers and tubing, has undergone a £1.1m management buy-out and is now planning to double in size and increase exports. 17-Jul-2001

Ashquay, the property company, is to undergo a reverse takeover by Stonemartin Corporate Centres, the provider of serviced offices. 17-Jul-2001

Levy Gee, the accountancy firm, has been acquired by a new company called Numerica for undisclosed terms, and Numerica is now looking to acquire further small professional services firms. 17-Jul-2001

Ambex Group has acquired SGB Manufacturing, the West Midlands-based manufacturer of scaffolding products, for £3.5m. 16-Jul-2001

Bonhams & Brooks is planning to merge with Phillips to create a combined fine art auction group that will include Phillips' Bond Street saleroom and regional auction houses. 13-Jul-2001

Easby Electronics, the electronics distributor, has undergone a £8m management buy-out. 12-Jul-2001

Borras has acquired T&B, the St Albans-based contractor, for undisclosed terms. 12-Jul-2001

Xtralite, the Blyth-based manufacturer of roof lights, has been bought out of administration by a management team, saving 50 jobs. 11-Jul-2001

Avec Aerotool has acquired the ground-support equipment interests of C&F Millier, which will lead to the creation of up to 40 jobs over the next three years. 09-Jul-2001

WJ Watkins has acquired Barradale Farm in Kent, which will create the country's third largest egg producing company. 09-Jul-2001

ECsoft has bought S17, the Swedish IT services company with 63 staff, from Framfab, in order to strengthen its back-office systems and project management operations in Sweden. 06-Jul-2001

Allen & Heath, the Penryn-based manufacturer of audio mixing consoles, has undergone a £9m management buy-out from Harman International Industries. 05-Jul-2001

Union has sold its margin share trading and foreign exchange operations to Man Financial for £1.8m. 03-Jul-2001

Newmarket Underwriting, the Lloyd's managing agency with 35 staff, has been acquired by Danish Re and has also decided to close its marine underwriting operation. 29-Jun-2001

Haldane UK, the Glenrothes-based manufacturer of timber handrails, has undergone a management buy-out, securing the future of 40 jobs. 22-Jun-2001

Four D Rubber has undergone a £4.3m management buy-out backed by Bank of Scotland, and plans to expand its cast latex sheeting business. 20-Jun-2001

Technology for Business has acquired Avenue Legal Systems, the legal software company with offices in Fareham and Manchester, for £3m. 20-Jun-2001

Aerofone, the mobile phone service provider, has been acquired by Stanhope Communications for £20m. 18-Jun-2001

Static, the interactive media company, is being acquired by OpenTV, the US supplier of software for set-top boxes, for £42m. 15-Jun-2001

Precise Communications is to merge with the Unique broadcasting company to create the Unique Communications Group, which will provide a wide range of marketing, broadcasting and corporate communications services. 14-Jun-2001

Mike Beer Transport has bought Tipro, the international bulk tipper operator, from Star Cargo for undisclosed terms, and has also announced plans to consolidate its three UK depots onto a new site at the Dover Port Zone. 12-Jun-2001

Peoplesound.com, the online music company, is being acquired by Vitaminic of Italy in a deal worth £21m. 11-Jun-2001

Longacre Partners is to acquire Lommen, the Swedish corporate finance house, as part of its European expansion programme. 07-Jun-2001

Barrier Technology, the Manchester-based foil packaging company with 15 staff, has undergone a management buy-out from SNEC of France for undisclosed terms. 06-Jun-2001

Lloyd's Register is planning to acquire MHA Systems for undisclosed terms, as part of a strategy to move into the international rail safety market. 04-Jun-2001

Melville Craig, the recruitment agency with 260 staff in Scotland, has been acquired by TMP Worldwide, the US owner of the Monster.com jobs website. 31-May-2001

MacLaurin has been acquired by Hatch-Group, a new company backed by Bridgepoint Capital that is planning to create a Europe-wide public relations agency. 31-May-2001

Eason, the Irish bookseller and newsagent, has acquired all 16 NPO outlets in Northern Ireland for undisclosed terms. 30-May-2001

Spudulike is to expand its chain of baked potato fast food outlets with the acquisition of Fat Jackets, FJ Cools and the Serious Sandwich Store for undisclosed terms. 30-May-2001

Longslow Dairy Group has acquired Selecta Foods, the Dorset-based supplier to the catering industry with 32 staff, for undisclosed terms. 28-May-2001

I Feel Good has bought three magazine titles from John Brown Publishing for £6.4m, including Viz, The Fortean Times and Bizarre. 28-May-2001

Sysdrill, the Aberdeen-based software company, has been acquired by Paradigm Geophysical, the worldwide provider of information solutions for the oil and gas industry. 24-May-2001

Cardington has bought the Hardy Amies fashion house for undisclosed terms, and plans to market the brand to a younger audience. 23-May-2001

Xpert Systems, the Warrington-based integrated communications and technology services provider with 210 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 17-May-2001

Parthus is to acquire Chicory Systems, the US mobile technology company, for £29m. 16-May-2001

Dewsbury Civil Engineering has been acquired by Enterprise, the Preston-based support services company, for £5m. 15-May-2001

Trace Computers is to acquire Datawise Training & Consultancy Services for £7.3m, in order to expand its software development and consultancy business. 14-May-2001

Mastclimbers is to merge with SGB Powerlift to create a combined Glasgow-based business with 50 staff and a fleet of 500 mast climbing work platforms. 10-May-2001

Stirling Shipping, the operator of North Sea support vessels, has been acquired by Seacor Smit of the US for £54m. 08-May-2001

Corenso is to acquire the core and tube business of BPB Paperboard's Centacor division, which employs 100 people at factories in Newcastle, Westhoughton and Maidstone. 08-May-2001

Wolters Kluwer of the Netherlands has sold its London-based Financial Training business to management for about £50m. 08-May-2001

PEL, the shopfitter and refurbishment specialist, has undergone a £40m management buy-out backed by Lloyds TSB Development Capital. 07-May-2001

Jermyn Investments, the property company, is to be acquired by Treasury Holdings of Ireland for £100m. 07-May-2001

Forest City Signs, the Timperley-based manufacturer of road signs with 70 staff, has been acquired by Signature of Oldbury in the West Midlands for undisclosed terms. 02-May-2001

Dan Technology has sold Dan Network Solutions, the internet communications company with 40 staff, to a management buy-out for £1m. 02-May-2001

Kazoo3D, the developer of 3D software, is to undergo a reverse takeover by The Zoo Media Corporation in a £6.8m deal. 26-Apr-2001

Phoenix Healthcare Distribution has acquired Tatfords, the Cosham-based pharmaceuticals wholesaler, for £8m. 25-Apr-2001

Freshbake Foods, the manufacturer of savoury pastries and sausages, has been sold by Vlasic Foods of the US to a management buy-out. 23-Apr-2001

J Mould, the demolition and haulage firm, has been acquired by Hanson Recycling for £7.2m. 23-Apr-2001

Butler Group, the IT research consultancy, has undergone a £10m management buy-out and plans to open new offices in continental Europe over the next 12 months. 23-Apr-2001

Benfield Greig is to acquire EW Blanch of the US for £126m, in order to create an international reinsurance brokerage with about 30 offices and 1,700 staff. 17-Apr-2001

Leiths has acquired Joss Aberdeen, the sand and gravel contractor, for undisclosed terms. 17-Apr-2001

Robert Brett & Sons is acquiring Virginia-based West Sand & Gravel and Stuarts Draft for undisclosed terms, in order to expand its building materials business in the US. 12-Apr-2001

Hamilton Acorn, the Norwich-based paintbrush maker with 140 staff, has been acquired by ANZA of Sweden for undisclosed terms. 12-Apr-2001

Highland Spring has acquired The Gleneagles Spring Water Company from Time Group for undisclosed terms. 11-Apr-2001

Colleagues Group, the Bath-based direct marketing group, has been sold by Moore Corporation of Canada to management for undisclosed terms. 10-Apr-2001

BS Specialist Products has acquired Corden Hardware, the Hucknall-based supplier of security and ironmongery equipment, for about £1m. 10-Apr-2001

Soutron, the database software company, is to merge with Esprit Information Solutions of Coventry, which will increase its Derby-based workforce from 20 to about 30. 09-Apr-2001

Brighter Pictures, the TV programme producer, has been acquired by Endemol Entertainment of the Netherlands. 05-Apr-2001

C&B Communications, the London-based publisher of corporate magazines, has undergone a management buy-out from C&B Publishing. 04-Apr-2001

Braitrim, the supplier of garment handling and packaging systems, has been sold by Mercury Private Equity to Spotless of Australia for £36m. 04-Apr-2001

Spectrum Technologies has acquired RtMc, the US manufacturer of laser wiring equipment, for £2.1m. 03-Apr-2001

Environmental Resources Management Group, the environmental consultancy, is to undergo a £200m management buy-out backed by 3i, and is now expected to make up to 10 small acquisitions. 02-Apr-2001

Friesland Coberco Dairy Foods has bought Nutricia Dairy & Drinks UK. 02-Apr-2001

Springboard has acquired Private Capital Exchange, the online corporate finance company, for undisclosed terms. 28-Mar-2001

Howard Smith has sold its towage business, which operates 150 vessels from 42 ports in the UK and Australia, to Adsteam Marine in order to focus on the distribution of industrial supplies. 22-Mar-2001

Financial Training Company, the provider of accountancy training, is to undergo a £50m management buy-out backed by Royal Bank of Scotland. 19-Mar-2001

Allez France Group, the Sussex-based tour operator, has undergone a management buy-out backed by 3i, and will now be renamed Holiday Places Group. 13-Mar-2001

HTA Industries has been acquired by Contex, the US automotive components company, for £5m, which is expected to lead to 84 new jobs at its Antrim factory. 12-Mar-2001

Midwich, the Norfolk-based distributor of computer products, has undergone a management buy-out from Electron House in a deal worth about £15m. 05-Mar-2001

Drew Scientific is to acquire Danam Electronics, the US manufacturer of laboratory analysers, for £8.3m. 05-Mar-2001

SPS-AFOS International of Aberdeen has merged with Global Completion Services of the US to create a global leader in the well bore cleanup sector of the oil and gas service market. 01-Mar-2001

Controlled Electronic Management Systems, the Belfast-based electronic security company with a workforce of 50, has been acquired by Sensormatic Electronics Corporation of the US for undisclosed terms. 28-Feb-2001

Simm Engineering has sold Simm Conveyor Services to a management buy-out, which will enable the business to broaden the range of conveyor maintenance services from a new factory in Dinnington. 28-Feb-2001

Merivale Moore is to acquire Dunsterville Allen, the London-based property investment company, for £21m. 27-Feb-2001

Geze of Chelmsford has bought Universal Door Services, the installation specialist, for undisclosed terms. 22-Feb-2001

Precision Manufacturing Services has acquired Speedsaws, the Sheffield-based manufacturer of carbon steel saw blades. 21-Feb-2001

Xtempus has acquired Talkcast, the media rights business, in a £25m deal. 19-Feb-2001

Grahams Dairies has acquired Country Fresh, the Lothian-based dairy, as part of an ongoing acquisitions programme. 19-Feb-2001

Cellmark Diagnostics, the Abingdon-based DNA testing company, has been bought by Orchid BioSciences of the US for undisclosed terms. 16-Feb-2001

Brunel Holdings is selling Dickinson Control Systems to Siemens Holdings for £9m, in order to reduce debt. 16-Feb-2001

Synthetic Dimensions has acquired Probe, the London-based database support and direct marketing services company, for £0.6m. 14-Feb-2001

AL Fuller, the Cambridgeshire-based electrical contractor with 30 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 14-Feb-2001

Datum Solutions, the Nottingham-based supplier of metering services to the electricity industry, has been acquired by Siemens Metering. 12-Feb-2001

EVC Christows is planning to acquire Evolution Capital of London for £12m, in order to establish a corporate advisory business. 09-Feb-2001

Charterhouse Communications is to acquire HS Publishing, the financial publisher, from Hemmington Scott for up to £5.5m. 09-Feb-2001

Nine West of the US has sold its Shoe Studio footwear retailing business in the UK to a management buy-out. 08-Feb-2001

Pointon York, the pensions management company, has sold its advisory business to Thomson's Group for undisclosed terms. 06-Feb-2001

Norlec Engineering, the sheet metal components company with 140 staff, has undergone a management buy-out from Acertec Engineering of Solihull for undisclosed terms. 30-Jan-2001

Arena Group has acquired CP Independent Systems, the Heckmondwike-based supplier of office machines and computer systems, for undisclosed terms. 29-Jan-2001

Malvern Tyres, the Midlands distributor and fitter of car tyres and accessories, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 26-Jan-2001

T Berryman & Sons, the waste glass packaging collector, has been acquired by Reuse Glass of Knottingley, and Berryman will be given the resources to expand its services throughout the country. 23-Jan-2001

Sonoco Capseals, the manufacturer of lining materials for bottle caps, has been sold by Sonoco to Illinois Tool Works for undisclosed terms. 16-Jan-2001

JBS Industries, the manufacturer of doors and windows, has undergone a £8m management buy-out, and the deal includes five businesses throughout the country employing 570 staff. 16-Jan-2001

Pinsent Curtis is planning to merge with Biddle to create a combined law firm with 518 lawyers. 16-Jan-2001

McNeill Rigby Travel has acquired Menary Travel to create a combined Belfast-based travel agency with turnover of more than £16m. 12-Jan-2001

Caradon Bathrooms has been sold by HSBC Private Equity to Sanitec of Finland for £82m, creating a new group with about 20% of the UK bathroom ceramics market. 12-Jan-2001

Lidbury is to merge with Mobex UK to create a combined Swindon-based electrical contracting business called LidburyMobex. 12-Jan-2001

IMES has bought Davy Weighting Systems, the industrial processing company, from Kvaerner for undisclosed terms. 10-Jan-2001

Bolton Brady, the industrial doors company, has been acquired by Kone of Finland for £20m. 08-Jan-2001

James & Lister Lea is to merge with Bruton Knowles to create a combined Birmingham-based property business with almost 300 staff. 08-Jan-2001

Network Disaster Recovery has undergone a management buy-out, in a £25m deal supported by the private equity division of Close Brothers. 08-Jan-2001

4imprint is to acquire Adventures in Advertising Franchise, the US promotional products distribution network, for £8.5m. 03-Jan-2001

Claverham, the supplier of flight controls, has been acquired by United Technologies of the US for undisclosed terms. 02-Jan-2001

Norcom, the Inverness-based business services consultancy, has undergone a £2m management buy-out, and is now planning to open new operations in Aberdeen and elsewhere. 02-Jan-2001







The information below comes from the UK Activity Report.
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