|
Phonetics, the Lowestoft-based call centre with 120 staff, has been acquired by It's Your Group, the operator of call centres in Leeds and India for banks and other financial institutions. 30-Dec-2004 Adop of France has sold its Norfolk-based blow mould tooling business to a management buy-out for undisclosed terms, creating a new company called Mouldline. 27-Dec-2004 Blackwall, the Leeds-based supplier of container services to local authorities and waste management companies, is to be acquired by Straight for up to £6.7m. 23-Dec-2004 Warrington Slate, the builders' merchant, has been sold for £5.5m, with the Warrington site being acquired by Hendricks and the Bury site by Travis Perkins. 23-Dec-2004 Alltracel Pharmaceuticals is to acquire Westone Products, the London-based developer of oral care products, for an initial £4m. 21-Dec-2004 Beddis & Partners, the Birmingham-based commercial insurance broker with 60 staff, has been acquired by Oval Insurance Broking for undisclosed terms. 21-Dec-2004 Rite-Vent, the Washington-based manufacturer of metal chimneys with 185 staff, has been acquired by Schiedel of Germany for £5m. 21-Dec-2004 Wilkin Chapman, the law firm with 178 staff at offices in Grimsby, Lincoln, Cleethorpes, Louth, and Horncastle, has merged with Cooper & Wright of Beverley. 20-Dec-2004 JCA TV Facilities, the London-based TV production company with 21 staff, has been acquired by TVP Group. 20-Dec-2004 Weedfree, the North Yorkshire-based company with 105 staff that specialises in clearing leaves from railway lines, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 16-Dec-2004 Sirius Financial Solutions has acquired Datasure Management Systems of New Zealand for almost £1m, and is now looking to supply its insurance software in Australia. 15-Dec-2004 Gabriel-Chemie has acquired the stock and goodwill of Addcolour Plastics, the Wigan-based masterbatch company, out of administration. 14-Dec-2004 Berkeley Morgan is to be acquired by Personal Group for £12m, creating one of the country's largest providers of personal insurance and employee benefits. 13-Dec-2004 TI Solutions, the Belfast-based IT services company, has been sold by Fred Olsen Energy to Stirk Lamont & Associates for £0.3m. 10-Dec-2004 Keelys has acquired Simon Murray, the London-based law firm with 15 staff at offices in Covent Garden and Islington. 10-Dec-2004 Ashcourt Holdings has acquired Howells, Rawlings & Ward, the independent financial advisor, for £0.2m. 08-Dec-2004 Marley Floors, the Maidstone-based vinyl floor manufacturer, is to be sold by ETEX Group to Tarkett of Germany. 08-Dec-2004 Roman Mosaic, the Tipton-based tile importer, has been bought out of administration by Tiles UK of Manchester. 07-Dec-2004 MEDC, the Nottingham-based alarms and PA systems manufacturer with annual turnover of £12m, has been acquired by Cooper Industries of the US for undisclosed terms. 07-Dec-2004 East Sussex Press has acquired Beacon Press for undisclosed terms, creating a combined printing business with 140 staff at sites in Uckfield and Crowborough. 07-Dec-2004 Cater Barnard is to acquire Navitas Hemway and Telco Solutions, as part of a strategy to provide a wide range of professional services to the real estate industry. 06-Dec-2004 Peak Refrigeration of Wigan and Air Continental of Cannock have been acquired by Auxilia, a new network of air conditioning and refrigeration companies with £6m of backing from Bank of Scotland Corporate. 06-Dec-2004 Keltruck has acquired East Midland Commercials, creating a combined truck dealership with almost 500 staff and 17 locations across the Midlands. 06-Dec-2004 Leyland Product Developments, the Leyland-based vehicle designer with 45 staff, has been acquired by Greencool Technologies of China. 06-Dec-2004 Baldwin & Francis, the Sheffield-based switchgear products manufacturer with 90 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 06-Dec-2004 SPG Media Group has sold its Debrett's publishing business to Devonshire Media for about £1m. 06-Dec-2004 DLA is planning to merge with Piper Rudnick of the US to create an international law firm with 6,000 staff in 18 countries. 06-Dec-2004 Target Direct Marketing, the Cheltenham-based print management company, has been acquired by Cello for undisclosed terms. 03-Dec-2004 BIP, the Oldbury-based plastic mouldings company, has been bought out of administration by Synthite of Mold for undisclosed terms, securing the future of 170 jobs. 02-Dec-2004 Stewartry Care, the Castle Douglas-based provider of hygiene and healthcare services, has been sold to its 132 employees in a deal backed by the Baxi Partnership. 02-Dec-2004 Sleaford Quality Foods, the supplier of dried foods with 120 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Lloyds TSB Commercial. 01-Dec-2004 Passenger Lift Services, the Smethwick-based manufacturer of access lifts with 64 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 01-Dec-2004 MGMS International, the Brighouse-based executive recruitment firm with 60 staff, has been acquired by BNB Resources for undisclosed terms. 29-Nov-2004 Bank Bottom Engineering Services of West Yorkshire has been bought out of administration by Hystat Systems of Slaithwaite, securing the future of 21 staff. 29-Nov-2004 Wilson Storey Halliday has merged with Baxter Smith, creating a combined contract catering business known as Baxter Storey with annual sales of more than £100m. 29-Nov-2004 Morley Electric Motors, the Yorkshire-based manufacturer of electric motors with 125 staff, has been acquired by ATB Austria Antriebstechnik for undisclosed terms. 26-Nov-2004 FM Workshop, the Pontypool-based software company, has undergone a £0.5m management buy-out. 25-Nov-2004 Vizor Tempered Glass of Port Talbot and sister company Glass Systems of Swansea have undergone a management buy-out. 25-Nov-2004 KC Engineering has acquired Hoyt Engineering of Surrey, as part of a £1.4m expansion programme that will involve the transfer of Hoyt's business to Consett. 24-Nov-2004 Esteem Systems, the Wetherby-based IT services company with more than 100 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Primary Capital. 24-Nov-2004 UA Group, the Scottish livestock auctioneering company with 90 staff, has accepted a £52m takeover offer from Elphinstone of Glasgow. 24-Nov-2004 Carmichael International, the Worcester-based manufacturer of fire rescue vehicles with about 100 staff, has been acquired by the Amdac subsidiary of Pesaka Astana of Malaysia. 23-Nov-2004 Anglia Co-op has acquired seven Sunwin department stores from United Co-op for undisclosed terms, and the sites will be converted to Anglia's Westgate format. 23-Nov-2004 Zero Waste Holdings of Port Clarence and Atlantic Waste Holdings of Peterborough have been acquired by shell company Augean for £106m, and the deals are being funded by a £100m share placing. 22-Nov-2004 YorkBoat, the York-based pleasure boating company with 20 staff, has been acquired by investment company Zeus Capital for undisclosed terms. 18-Nov-2004 Futuremedia has acquired Open Training, the Swedish provider of online training services, for about £1m. 16-Nov-2004 Rocc Computers has acquired Tal Computer Services of Egham for undisclosed terms. 16-Nov-2004 Sector Design, the Leicester-based point-of-purchase display company with 26 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 16-Nov-2004 Jeroboams Group has acquired La Reserve, the London-based drinks retailer and wholesaler with four stores. 15-Nov-2004 BMS Biometrics has acquired ISL Biometrics, the developer of biometric security software, for undisclosed terms. 12-Nov-2004 HBCL Coldstores has acquired Panelform, the Bradford-based manufacturer of panels for cold rooms, for undisclosed terms. 12-Nov-2004 ITrain is to acquire Applied Interactive, the Milton Keynes-based supplier of training software, for up to £1.2m. 11-Nov-2004 Greenfield Construction, the Nottingham-based groundworks company with 70 staff, is to be acquired by Hightower Construction for £0.7m. 11-Nov-2004 Cheshire Clothing Company has been bought out of administration by a management consortium, securing the future of 112 staff at its luxury clothing factory in Crewe. 11-Nov-2004 VCX Software, the Livingston-based database technology company, has been acquired by Beach Solutions. 09-Nov-2004 William Taylor, the Preston-based supplier of swimming pools and saunas with 120 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 04-Nov-2004 Manor Kingdom, the Dunfermline-based luxury housebuilder, has been acquired by the owner of Bett Homes for undisclosed terms. 03-Nov-2004 CDI Group, the Birmingham-based network systems company with 90 staff, has sold its Bristol-based South and West division to management. 03-Nov-2004 DTW, the PR and marketing agency with 30 staff in Guisborough, Canterbury and London, has been acquired by PPS for £2m. 03-Nov-2004 Zeal Television has acquired The Chatterbox Partnership, the TV production company, for about £1m. 01-Nov-2004 JSC, the Harrogate-based chemical industry consultancy with 20 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms from US parent company Shaw Group. 29-Oct-2004 Alurite, the Cardiff-based manufacturer of aluminium windows and doors with 22 staff, has undergone a £0.4m management buy-out. 28-Oct-2004 Independent Access Supplies, the plant machinery rental company with 75 staff, has been bought out of administration by a management buy-in. 28-Oct-2004 LEDA Recruitment, the Leeds-based recruitment company, has undergone a £2.7m management buy-out backed by Northern Venture Managers. 28-Oct-2004 Frank Galliers, the Shropshire-based contractor with 100 staff, has been acquired by Pan Atlanta Developments for undisclosed terms. 28-Oct-2004 One Way Circuits has acquired Circast Electronics, the Warwickshire-based electronics manufacturer with 100 staff. 26-Oct-2004 Multipart Universal, the Sheffield-based truck parts specialist with 56 staff, has undergone a management buy-in backed by Enterprise Finance Europe, and will be renamed Universal Components UK. 26-Oct-2004 CES UK has acquired Liverpool Exhaust Supplies and Fairfield Motor Services for undisclosed terms. 25-Oct-2004 Vinci Energies has bought Ford Communications and Arthur Ford out of administration for undisclosed terms, securing 70 jobs at an engineering site in Nottingham. 25-Oct-2004 European Supplies, the supplier of British foods to Spanish retailers, is being acquired by Lennox Holdings, and £4m will be raised in a flotation on Aim. 25-Oct-2004 Redditch Laser Cutting has been acquired by Advanced Engineering Group of Henley in Arden, and £3m will be invested in expanding the business. 21-Oct-2004 Advent Publishing Systems of Swindon has been acquired by Arbortext, the US provider of information streamlining services. 21-Oct-2004 Vemco Brasscapri, the builders' merchant with annual turnover of £20m, has been acquired by Mueller Industries of the US. 21-Oct-2004 Tootsies, the chain of 23 family restaurants, has been acquired by Urban Dining for £31m, and there are plans to expand the chain to about 100 outlets. 20-Oct-2004 Hemscott has acquired Bigdough, the US provider of financial information to fund managers, for £21m. 19-Oct-2004 Hermes is to acquire Wescot Credit Services, the debt collection agency, for about £110m. 19-Oct-2004 SMS Agencies, the Crawley-based supplier of lorry drivers to transport companies with a network of 30 branches, has been sold to a management team backed by Northern Venture Managers for £8.2m. 19-Oct-2004 Interlink, the Yorkshire-based supplier of modular buildings, has been acquired by Waco International of South Africa for £31m. 18-Oct-2004 Risk Advisory Group, the corporate security company with 750 staff, is expected to undergo a £15m management buy-out. 18-Oct-2004 Testwood Motor Group, the Southampton-based Audi and VW dealer, has been acquired by Harwoods and Breeze Motor Group for undisclosed terms. 15-Oct-2004 TTP Group has sold The Creativity Partnership, the creativity consultancy, to its founder for undisclosed terms. 15-Oct-2004 Casper Shipping has acquired BS Freight, the air freight company based at Durham Tees Valley Airport, for undisclosed terms. 14-Oct-2004 TF Bell Group, the insurance broker with offices in Hinckley and Leicester, has undergone a management buy-out. 14-Oct-2004 Icefresh has acquired Prospero, the Norfolk-based frozen and chilled desserts manufacturer with 55 staff. 13-Oct-2004 Salad Garden, the York-based supplier of sandwich fillings and salads with 18 staff, has undergone a management buy-in and the plant will double in size over the next two years. 12-Oct-2004 Executel, the Gateshead-based telecoms company with 26 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 11-Oct-2004 Van Leeuwen Precision has acquired M/K Wheeler, the supplier of steel tubes with 50 staff in Brierley Hill and Bury. 11-Oct-2004 Azur Holdings, the software company, is to be acquired by Maxima Holdings for £17m. 11-Oct-2004 Argenta Discovery has merged with Etiologics, creating a combined drug discovery contract research group with 120 staff in Harlow and Slough. 08-Oct-2004 Laser Electrical, the chain of eight electrical stores in Northern Ireland, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 08-Oct-2004 Leveys, the Whitley Bay-based chain of 18 decorating stores with 120 staff, has been acquired by Strategic Retail for undisclosed terms. 07-Oct-2004 Auto Extract Systems, the Halifax-based supplier of extraction and ventilation systems, has undergone a management buy-out from Danish owner SM Holdings, and annual turnover is now expected to rise to £1.6m. 06-Oct-2004 Fastnet Fish, the Grimsby-based fish processing company, has been acquired by Andrew Marr International of Hull for undisclosed terms. 06-Oct-2004 K3 Business Technology has acquired Alpha Landsteinar, the Wiltshire-based provider of retail management solutions, for £7.2m. 05-Oct-2004 Ivi Metallics, the Leicester-based manufacturer of nails with 29 staff, has undergone a management buy-out from Texon UK for undisclosed terms. 05-Oct-2004 Botanic Inns, the Belfast-based chain of 11 pubs with 600 staff, has been acquired by a group of investors for undisclosed terms. 04-Oct-2004 Kolfor Plant, the Dundee-based equipment rental company with annual sales of £3.7m, has been acquired by Atlas Copco of Sweden for undisclosed terms. 04-Oct-2004 Brooke Smith Associates of Birmingham has merged with CSJ Planning Consultants of Bristol, creating a combined town planning consultancy with 20 planners. 04-Oct-2004 NWD has acquired Clinic Group, the London-based marketing services company with about 50 staff, partly funded by a £1.6m share placing. 01-Oct-2004 Zen Wallcoverings, the Lancashire-based wallpaper manufacturer, has been acquired by The Heritage Print Company, securing the future of 52 staff. 01-Oct-2004 Wilkinson Special Projects of Warrington has been bought of administration by JHL Plant Hire, securing the future of 150 jobs. 01-Oct-2004 Birlinn has acquired Tuckwell Press, the Scottish academic book publisher. 30-Sep-2004 Portman Film & TV is to be acquired by the chairman of Chrysalis for undisclosed terms. 30-Sep-2004 Thebrickbusiness, the brick manufacturer with 680 staff at nine sites, is to be acquired by Wienerberger of Austria for £100m. 28-Sep-2004 Active Hotels of Cambridge has sold its hotel reservations business to Priceline.com of the US for about £90m. 27-Sep-2004 Bill Goff Golf Tours has acquired Longshot Golf from First Choice Holidays, as part of a strategy to expand its golf tour operations in continental Europe. 23-Sep-2004 Cumbrian Industrials, the Penrith-based construction company with 196 staff, has been acquired by Hanson Aggregates. 22-Sep-2004 Golden Prospect has acquired Ambrian Partners, the London-based investment banking and brokerage firm focused on the mining and metals sector, for £2.2m. 21-Sep-2004 Flowtech, the Skelmersdale-based pneumatic and hydraulics company, has undergone a £42m management buy-out backed by venture capital firm Gresham. 21-Sep-2004 Hotgroup is to acquire Workthing, the online recruitment business, from Guardian Media Group for £6m. 21-Sep-2004 Browne Group, the Leicester-based chemical instruments company with 65 staff, has been acquired by Steris Corporation of the US for undisclosed terms. 20-Sep-2004 JW Fidler & Son, the Manchester-based wholesaler of food and equipment with 70 staff, has undergone a management buy-in. 17-Sep-2004 GSM Group has acquired the assets of Abbot Brown, the recently-closed Dorset-based manufacturer of labels and fascia products, which will result in the creation of 28 new jobs in Yorkshire. 14-Sep-2004 Femcare, the health care company with 70 staff in Nottingham and Southampton, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Barclays Private Equity for undisclosed terms. 14-Sep-2004 Celotex, the foam insulation manufacturer, has undergone a £20m management buy-out backed by ABN Amro Capital. 13-Sep-2004 Fact Based Communications has acquired Diverse, the independent TV production company with 30 staff, for about £8m. 13-Sep-2004 BDE Group has acquired Object Group, the London-based software solutions company, creating a combined business with a workforce of 55. 08-Sep-2004 Flashback Television has acquired Double Exposure, the Clerkenwell-based TV production company. 07-Sep-2004 Joseph Dawson, the cashmere textiles company, has undergone a £6.6m management buy-out from Dawson International, and will transfer its headquarters from Scotland to Yorkshire. 06-Sep-2004 SBJ has acquired the financial services division of Miller Insurance Investments for undisclosed terms, which will involve the transfer of 36 staff to the London office of SBJ. 06-Sep-2004 Monowa Manufacturing, the manufacturer of movable walls, has been acquired by Accordial Group, and additional staff are being recruited at Monowa's plant in south Wales. 02-Sep-2004 Humdinger has acquired A Taste of Luxury, the Plymouth-based biscuit importer, for undisclosed terms. 01-Sep-2004 Royal London Private Equity has backed a £34m management buy-out at McKenzie Group, the operator of Academy-branded music venues in Brixton, Birmingham, Liverpool, Glasgow, Bristol, Islington and Shepherd's Bush. 01-Sep-2004 Robert Prettie & Co, the Nottingham-based plumbing and heating company with 340 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 31-Aug-2004 Northmace has acquired Hendon International, the London-based supplier of equipment to hotels, for undisclosed terms. 26-Aug-2004 Blair Plant & Civil Engineers of Norfolk has been bought out of administration by a management team, securing the future of 30 jobs. 25-Aug-2004 Latimer Trend, the Plymouth-based printing company, has undergone a management buy-out. 25-Aug-2004 Fuji Seal Europe, the shrink-wrap packaging company, is doubling its manufacturing, printing and warehousing facilities at the Gillingham Business Park in Kent, with the creation of 70 jobs over the next three years. 20-Aug-2004 Multifabs, the Aberdeen-based supplier of survival wear with 115 staff, has been acquired by CHC Helicopters of Canada for £7.2m. 20-Aug-2004 Grovefield Finance has acquired Norfolk & Suffolk Finance, the Lowestoft-based commercial finance firm with 14 staff. 16-Aug-2004 Mobileway is to merge with InphoMatch of the US to create a combined mobile content and messaging interoperability business with about 200 staff. 13-Aug-2004 Occam Direct Marketing, the Bath-based provider of data management services with 80 staff, has undergone a £12m management buy-out backed by ISIS Equity Partners. 11-Aug-2004 Beswick Paper, the Oldbury-based paper merchant with 150 staff at branches in Birmingham, Northampton, Cheltenham, Leicester, Crewe, Hertford and Newport, has undergone a management buy-in for undisclosed terms. 10-Aug-2004 Cabouchon is to sell its jewellery operations to management and acquire motion picture company Seven Arts Filmed Entertainment in a £4.8m reverse takeover. 10-Aug-2004 Athlone Extrusions, the plastics manufacturer, has undergone a management buy-out from Quinn Group of Fermanagh for an estimated £36m. 09-Aug-2004 AWJ Glass is to set up a new £2.1m glass processing factory in Scarborough, with the creation of 15 jobs. 09-Aug-2004 Wilco Motor Spares has acquired Motosave, the automotive shop chain with 190 staff at 24 workshops and 23 shops in northern England, for undisclosed terms. 06-Aug-2004 Manor Farm Ducklings, the Norfolk-based poultry firm with annual turnover of £17m, has been bought out of administration by MFD Foods. 06-Aug-2004 Farago, the knitwear firm, and Apex Dyers & Finishers have been bought out of administration by a new company called Farago Group. 06-Aug-2004 Groupe Pathfinder, the Merseyside-based microwave radio technology company, has been acquired by SIAE Microelectronica of Italy for £1m, and the 25-strong workforce is expected to double over the next two years. 05-Aug-2004 Vibro, the Preston-based civil engineer, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 05-Aug-2004 Wykeham Farrance, the supplier of geotechnical equipment, has been acquired by Controls of Italy. 04-Aug-2004 Western Wines, the wine importer, has been acquired by Vincor of Canada for £135m. 03-Aug-2004 Eurogrind, the Pontardawe-based precision cutting tool manufacturer with 39 staff, has undergone a management buy-in, and is now looking to open sales offices in Germany, Spain, Italy, France and Belgium. 02-Aug-2004 MWL Print Group, the Pontypool-based print company with 140 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 02-Aug-2004 Atlantic Airlines, the Coventry-based cargo company with 75 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 02-Aug-2004 PDQ Engineering has undergone a management buy-out from Washington Envelopes for undisclosed terms, and is now looking to expand the 45-strong workforce. 02-Aug-2004 DJ Tool Hire has undergone a management buy-out, and is planning to expand its chain of six tool hire outlets to 30 over the next five years. 02-Aug-2004 Demon Tweeks Direct, the motorsport equipment supplier, has undergone a management buy-out, and is now planning to open stores across the country. 02-Aug-2004 Exeter Investment Group is to be acquired by Iimia of Bournemouth for about £19m, which will involve the transfer of 120 Exeter-based staff. 15-Jul-2004 Murston Plant, the Ashford-based hire company with 40 staff, has been acquired by GSE Plant. 15-Jul-2004 Country Artists, the designer and distributor of quality giftware products with 150 staff at sites in Wellesbourne, Stratford upon Avon and the US, has undergone a management buy-out backed by ISIS Equity Partners. 14-Jul-2004 Inflexion is to sell Ster Century, the operator of seven cinema sites, to a management buy-out for £32m. 14-Jul-2004 Clipper Ventures is to acquire Zapcat Racing, the operator of power boat racing events, for up to £0.5m. 12-Jul-2004 Claro Precision Engineering of Knaresborough has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms, and the 50-strong workforce is expected to expand. 09-Jul-2004 Minerva Laboratories, the Cardiff-based supplier of dental equipment with 58 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 08-Jul-2004 BNB Resources has acquired TCS Recruitment, the recruitment solutions company with offices in London, Manchester and Bristol, for an initial £4.1m. 07-Jul-2004 Magal Engineering has acquired Portland Pressing, the Birmingham-based manufacturer of grilles and other metal pressings for the motor industry, for undisclosed terms. 06-Jul-2004 Aquascot, the Alness-based salmon and trout processing company with 120 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Bank of Scotland. 06-Jul-2004 Rutland Fund has acquired Uskmouth Power Company, the operator of the Fifoots coal-fired power station at Newport in South Wales, and will restart the site with a workforce of about 100. 06-Jul-2004 Symphonix, the Huntingdon-based manufacturer of loudspeakers, is to be acquired by Fundamental-e Investments for £0.4m. 05-Jul-2004 Fitzpatrick Doorframes has merged with FW Watkins to create a combined Birmingham-based industrial doors and shutters business with annual sales of £2.5m. 05-Jul-2004 Risk Capital Partners has acquired Mayfair Bingo, the operator of six Riva bingo clubs, for undisclosed terms. 05-Jul-2004 Atlantic Technology, the Crumlin-based semiconductor assembly and testing facility with 250 staff, has been acquired by Unisem Berhad of Malaysia in a £16m deal. 01-Jul-2004 Heating Components & Equipment, the supplier of central heating components with 24 staff at branches in Gateshead and Glasgow, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Quantum Corporate Finance. 01-Jul-2004 OpenPSL, the distributor of computer security products with 160 staff at offices in Manchester, Leeds, Bracknell, Nottingham and Dublin, has been acquired by Bell Microproducts of the US for £20m. 25-Jun-2004 Weeks Laboratories has acquired Church Laboratory Services, the Castleford-based materials testing company with 37 staff. 24-Jun-2004 Boulton Construction Products of the West Midlands has been bought out of administration by a management buy-out. 24-Jun-2004 On Demand Distribution, the provider of online music download services, has been acquired by Loudeye Corporation of the US for £31m. 23-Jun-2004 Taylor Hobson, the Leicester-based manufacturer of ultra-precision measurement instrumentation, has been acquired by Ametek of the US for £50m. 23-Jun-2004 SP Bell, the stockbroker with nine regional offices, has announced a £2m reverse takeover deal with Merchant House Group. 23-Jun-2004 North West Trucks has been acquired by Heatons Transport of St Helens for undisclosed terms, creating a combined group with 200 staff at depots in Huyton, St Helens, Wigan and Northwich. 21-Jun-2004 Comdirect, the online stockbroker, has been sold by its German parent to Lloyds TSB Development Capital for £16m. 17-Jun-2004 Celtech, the operator of paper mills in Lancaster and Heysham, has been acquired by Goulds Design & Manufacturing of Heywood, creating a new group called Northern Tissue. 16-Jun-2004 Ross Group is to sell its Tadmod battery charger and electrical adaptor business to Queenspark, and the net asset value of the transaction is about £0.2m. 15-Jun-2004 Sentinel Doors, the Llantrisant-based door manufacturer, has been acquired by Therma-Tru Doors of the US for undisclosed terms. 15-Jun-2004 AMS, the Redditch-based retail display equipment supplier with 240 staff, has undergone a £5m management buy-out. 14-Jun-2004 Dove Valley, the Derbyshire-based poultry supplier with about 700 staff, has been acquired by OSI of the US for undisclosed terms. 14-Jun-2004 Ascent Technology, the Hinckley-based software developer with sales of £23m, has been acquired by CIBER of the US. 11-Jun-2004 Beeston Heating, the Belper-based supplier of heating systems with 25 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 10-Jun-2004 Find A Property, the Brighton-based online property magazine with 18 staff, has undergone a £2.8m management buy-out backed by Barclays Ventures. 10-Jun-2004 Ceramic Prints, the Brighouse-based manufacturer of tiles, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance. 09-Jun-2004 First Aid UK, the Cheshire-based supplier of first aid kits, is to be acquired by Healthcare Enterprise Group for £2m. 08-Jun-2004 Sunwin Motor Group is to acquire seven car dealerships from the Ilkeston Co-op Group for undisclosed terms. 04-Jun-2004 Stewarts, the Edinburgh-based print firm with 80 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 04-Jun-2004 Bowater Building Products, the supplier of doors and windows, has undergone a £52m management buy-out backed by 3i. 04-Jun-2004 Donegal Creameries is to merge its Carbury Mushrooms business with Monaghan Middlebrook, creating Europe's largest mushroom supplier. 03-Jun-2004 Xtreme Information Services, the advertisement monitoring company, has sold its news division to Durrants for £17m. 01-Jun-2004 Metflex, the Blackburn-based manufacturer of precision rubber components with 89 staff, has undergone a management buy-in. 28-May-2004 Tyne & Wear Development Company is to assist NewLogic in setting up a £3m business outsourcing operation at the Boldon Business Park on Tyneside over the next two years, with the creation of at least 150 jobs. 28-May-2004 Crusader Holidays, the Clacton-based holiday firm with about 50 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 27-May-2004 Group 4 Falck has agreed to sell Global Solutions, its UK-based prison management business, to Electra Partners Europe and Englefield Capital for £207m. 27-May-2004 Cunningham John is to merge with Few & Kester of Cambridge, creating a combined East Anglian law firm with 23 partners called Kester Cunningham John. 26-May-2004 Alpha Financial Management has acquired Eccleston Park Financial Services of Prescot for undisclosed terms. 25-May-2004 Viking Engineering, the Nottingham-based architectural metalwork company, has undergone a £2m management buy-out backed by Bank of Scotland Corporate Banking. 24-May-2004 Profile Therapeutics, the West Sussex-based biotechnology company, is to be acquired by Respironics of the US for £25m. 24-May-2004 Fresh Media Group has acquired Vision, the Milton Keynes and London-based catalogue design company. 21-May-2004 KEB Business Solutions, the Brighton-based cellular telephone company, has been acquired by Blue Telecommunications of Nottingham for undisclosed terms. 20-May-2004 Three Lions Leisure, the operator of an indoor five-a-side football centre in Huddersfield, has been acquired by Taskcatch for £0.1m. 14-May-2004 Reeves Oilfield Services of Loughborough has been acquired by Precision Drilling Corporation of Canada for £90m. 12-May-2004 Emerald Group Publishing, the Bradford-based academic publishing company with 170 staff, has undergone a £50m management buy-out. 11-May-2004 Airdrome of the US has acquired AF Aerospace, the Rugby-based manufacturer of aircraft hydraulic components with 100 staff. 10-May-2004 Tencel, the textile fibres company with 150 staff at a factory in Grimsby, has been acquired by Lenzing of Austria. 10-May-2004 Dickinsons has acquired Decorflair, the chain of eight interior decorating stores in the north-east, for undisclosed terms. 06-May-2004 MacQueen Air Conditioning, which has 50 staff at sites in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds and Maidstone, has been acquired by Daikin of Japan for about £3.5m. 06-May-2004 Apollo Lifts, the Romford-based lift contractor, has undergone a management buy-out and is now planning to establish an operations centre in the North of England and expand head office facilities. 30-Apr-2004 Paper 4 Print has acquired York & Ford, the Failsworth-based paper merchant with 16 staff, for undisclosed terms. 29-Apr-2004 Prime Business Solutions, the Newbury-based IP telephony company with 130 staff, has been acquired by 2e2 Group for £22m. 28-Apr-2004 CTD, the reports and accounts printer, has been sold by Capita for undisclosed terms and is now looking to move from its Twickenham plant. 27-Apr-2004 GE Sontay, the Kent-based manufacturer of machines that measure temperature and humidity with 35 staff, has been acquired by Owner Venture Managers for more than £1m. 26-Apr-2004 Gem International, the Leicester-based manufacturer of tissues and cling film, has undergone a management buy-out, securing the future of 65 jobs. 26-Apr-2004 Ascent Group has acquired B&G Software Consultancy, the Monmouth-based IT outsourcing and software development company, for £2.2m, and up to ten new jobs will be created. 22-Apr-2004 S&P Coil Products of Leicester has undergone a management buy-out from parent company Halma, in a £2.9m deal backed by Northern Venture Managers. 22-Apr-2004 Ultrafine, the Manchester-based provider of contract chemistry services for drug development with 80 staff, has been acquired by Sigma-Aldrich of the US for undisclosed terms. 21-Apr-2004 James Briggs, the Oldham-based manufacturer of chemical and aerosol products, has been acquired by ITW of the US for £20m. 19-Apr-2004 Extrudawood International, the Isle of Wight-based licensor of wood replacement technology, has been acquired by CPI Plastics Group for £5m. 16-Apr-2004 Trident Communications has acquired Carter Rae, the Edinburgh-based supplier of in-house publications, for undisclosed terms. 15-Apr-2004 Clee Hill Plant has expanded its network of plant hire depots to seven with the acquisition of Stoke-based Triangle Plant for undisclosed terms. 15-Apr-2004 Trax Portable Access has acquired Rapid Response Barriers, the London-based supplier of roadway barriers, for undisclosed terms. 15-Apr-2004 Hotbed, the private equity house, has supported the £10m management buy-out of the Red Devil energy drinks business. 14-Apr-2004 General Machine Products of the US has acquired CBS Metals, the Rutland-based cable installation equipment company with 34 staff, for undisclosed terms. 09-Apr-2004 Dantec, the Wirral-based manufacturer of specialist hose products, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 08-Apr-2004 Si Consultants has acquired AC Computers of Ipswich, creating a combined IT services company with 42 staff. 08-Apr-2004 Colemans-ctts has acquired AXIS, the Birmingham-based claimant division of law firm Ricksons, for undisclosed terms, which will involve the transfer of 15 staff to its Walsall office. 08-Apr-2004 K3 Business Technology has acquired the remaining 62% of PSE, the Lancashire-based distribution management software company. 07-Apr-2004 Salter Housewares, the Kent-based manufacturer of housewares products, has been acquired by HoMedics of the US for undisclosed terms. 06-Apr-2004 Zed Instruments, the Thame-based supplier of printing technology, has been acquired by Luscher of Switzerland. 06-Apr-2004 Audax Communications, the Nottingham-based public relations company with 12 staff, has been acquired by Armadillo PR of Birmingham for undisclosed terms. 06-Apr-2004 Highland Country Foods, the supplier of meat products with 20 staff, has been acquired by ANM Group for undisclosed terms. 05-Apr-2004 Morris Homes, the Merseyside-based housebuilder, has undergone a £130m management buy-out backed by Royal Bank of Scotland. 05-Apr-2004 Uniworld Communications, the Hampshire-based provider of telecoms services with annual turnover of £20m, has been acquired by Gamma Telecom. 05-Apr-2004 Economatics has acquired Durham Filtration Engineers, the Tyne & Wear-based supplier of filtration products to a wide range of industries. 02-Apr-2004 WH Promation, the County Durham-based supplier of equipment to the food and pharmaceutical industries with 35 staff, has been bought out of administration by Ian Shott Enterprises. 01-Apr-2004 Greater London Enterprise has sold GLE Development Capital, its private equity arm, to UK Matrix Group, creating a new fund management company called Matrix Private Equity Partners. 31-Mar-2004 John Palin, the Matlock-based fruit and vegetable wholesaler with 60 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 31-Mar-2004 Victor Chandler has acquired Sports Bookmakers, the chain of 28 betting shops, for undisclosed terms. 29-Mar-2004 HQC, the St Helens-based provider of telecom assembly services with 50 staff, has undergone a £2m management buy-out backed by Merseyside Special Investment Fund. 26-Mar-2004 Wark Clements is to merge with Ideal World, creating a combined Scottish TV production company called IWC Media with 54 staff. 26-Mar-2004 XecutiveResearch Group is to acquire Accident Exchange, the prestige vehicle replacement company, for £14m, and will change its name to Accident Exchange Group. 25-Mar-2004 Involvement Packaging has acquired De La Pak of Pershore, in order to offer its range of plastic and metal packaging containers across a wider area. 23-Mar-2004 Ascent Media has acquired the London Playout Centre, the provider of services to commercial TV channels with 280 staff, from RTL for undisclosed terms. 22-Mar-2004 Raeburn Christie is to merge with Clark & Wallace to create a combined Aberdeen-based law firm with 110 staff. 19-Mar-2004 Severn Trent Laboratories has acquired Aerotech Laboratories, the US air quality testing company with net assets of about £6m. 18-Mar-2004 Chamberlin & Hill is to acquire Russell Castings, the Leicester-based iron foundry, from Elliott for £1m. 17-Mar-2004 MEN Arena, the 20,000-seat entertainment venue in Manchester, has been acquired by Anschutz Entertainment of the US for £50m. 15-Mar-2004 Cognos has acquired Softa, the Oxford-based performance management consulting company, for undisclosed terms. 11-Mar-2004 Hevertech, the Leeds-based air conditioning and heating company with 22 staff, has undergone a management buy-in for undisclosed terms. 11-Mar-2004 Milmega, the Ryde-based manufacturer of microwave amplifier systems with 25 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by the South East Growth Fund for undisclosed terms. 11-Mar-2004 CGI Europe, the London-based financial printer with operations in Australia, Hong Kong and Japan, has been sold by ADP Graphic Communications to a management buy-out. 09-Mar-2004 Maximum Fun has acquired the 110-acre Shires Family Adventure Park near Newquay for undisclosed terms. 09-Mar-2004 Eaton Group, the London-based contract caterer, has been acquired by ISS of Denmark for undisclosed terms. 09-Mar-2004 McCann-Erickson has sold its Northern Ireland-based advertising business to a local management team. 03-Mar-2004 M&M Timber, the Kidderminster-based sawmill, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 03-Mar-2004 Internetdirect, the online supplier of cameras and electrical products, has been bought out of administration, saving 35 jobs. 03-Mar-2004 Frazer-Nash Consultancy, the defence and aerospace consultancy with 160 staff, has been acquired by Halliburton of the US for about £12m. 26-Feb-2004 NLT Training Services has acquired Inpartnership Training, the Alfreton-based provider of work-based learning services. 25-Feb-2004 KEB Fabrications, the Smethwick-based windows manufacturer with 90 staff, has undergone a £1.7m management buy-out. 23-Feb-2004 NPL Technologies, the Nuneaton-based tooling company with 105 staff, has been acquired by Arrk Product Development Group of Japan. 20-Feb-2004 Vis Entertainment, the Dundee-based computer games developer, is to be acquired by BAM Entertainment of the US for £4.5m. 19-Feb-2004 Scott Goodman Harris, the London-based financial adviser with 25 staff, has been acquired by UBS Bank for undisclosed terms. 18-Feb-2004 Stampiton Labels has undergone a management buy-out from US-based parent Renaissance Mark for undisclosed terms. 17-Feb-2004 ABI, the East Yorkshire-based caravan and leisure home maker, has undergone a £20m management buy-out backed by Dunedin Capital Partners. 16-Feb-2004 Norwich Food Company, the supplier of meat, fruit and vegetables, has been acquired by Smithfield Foods of the US, and Smithfield has also acquired London-based meat company Ridpath Pek. 16-Feb-2004 Aquator, the Trowbridge-based sewage filtration company with 55 staff, has been bought out of administration by Copa. 16-Feb-2004 Vega Insurance Services has acquired Abacans, the Preston-based insurance broker with 24 staff, for undisclosed terms. 13-Feb-2004 Oxoid, the Basingstoke-based supplier of diagnostic products, has been sold by PPM Ventures to Fisher Scientific International for £177m. 13-Feb-2004 Green Corns, the Rochdale-based operator of 30 care homes with 170 staff, has undergone a £26m management buy-out backed by 3i, and aims to expand the network nationwide over the next few years. 11-Feb-2004 Fairfield Group, the Droitwich-based label printing company with 25 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms, backed by Natwest Commercial Banking. 10-Feb-2004 HIA International, the Coventry-based insurance firm with 26 staff and offices in Banbury and Bedford, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 10-Feb-2004 Furnitureland, the chain of 22 furniture stores, has been acquired by US-owned SB Capital for undisclosed terms. 09-Feb-2004 Orchard End Group, the Gloucestershire-based operator of eight care homes with 110 staff, has been acquired by Sovereign Capital for £12m. 04-Feb-2004 Duckworth Group, the Manchester-based food flavourings company, has been acquired by Cargill of the US for about £40m. 04-Feb-2004 MOS International has acquired NIM Engineering, the Newcastle-based manufacturer of lifting equipment with 40 staff, from LGH Group for £0.7m. 03-Feb-2004 Eurocare Environmental Services, the Newcastle-based hospital waste company with 210 staff, has been acquired by Sterile Technologies of Ireland. 03-Feb-2004 Newsplayer Group is to acquire Betelgeuse Productions, the US-based TV production company, for £3m. 03-Feb-2004 Candover Investments has sold Clondalkin, the Irish packaging company with operations across the UK, US and Europe, to US-based private equity firm Warburg Pincus for £430m. 02-Feb-2004 Fairview New Homes is to acquire Rialto of Hertfordshire, creating a combined housebuilding group with an estimated value of £60m. 02-Feb-2004 Intellexis is to acquire Key Skills, the Nantwich-based provider of computer-based multimedia training courses, for £2.4m. 29-Jan-2004 Park & Paterson, the Cheshire-based metal recycling company, has announced a merger with a division of Bernhard Metals in Derby, creating an enlarged group with 46 staff. 26-Jan-2004 Spaldings, the Lincoln-based wholesaler of agricultural machinery parts with 140 staff, has undergone a £10m management buy-out from Dutch company Netagco, backed by 3i. 23-Jan-2004 European Golf Brands, the Kent-based supplier of electric golf trolleys, is to undergo a £26m management buy-out. 22-Jan-2004 Burrows & Close, the Nottingham-based chain of 15 retail pharmacies with more than 100 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 21-Jan-2004 Bulwell Precision Engineering, the Pinxton-based manufacturer of automotive components, has been acquired by the newly-formed Nasmyth Group, and the workforce is expected to grow by more than 10% this year to about 265. 21-Jan-2004 Wild Manufacturing, the Birmingham-based manufacturer of precision components for the motor industry with annual sales of £10m, has undergone a management buy-in. 19-Jan-2004 Hemsec, the Rainhill-based insulation supplier, has sold its Installations division to a management buy-out. 19-Jan-2004 Multigraphics, the Halifax-based printing company, has undergone a £10m management buy-out backed by 3i. 16-Jan-2004 The Platform Company has acquired Meek Group, the Bristol-based powered access hirer with three branches, out of administration for undisclosed terms. 15-Jan-2004 Blagden Packaging, the drum manufacturer with 19 facilities in eight countries, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Alchemy for undisclosed terms. 14-Jan-2004 Hawksmere, the London-based provider of training seminars with 60 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by ISIS Equity Partners for undisclosed terms. 14-Jan-2004 Ellis Steel has acquired McArthur Faull, the Swansea-based steel supplier, creating a new group called Ellis Faull Steel Stockholders & Processors. 14-Jan-2004 Warmseal Windows, the Tyneside-based double glazing company with 150 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Northern Venture Managers for undisclosed terms. 14-Jan-2004 Crystal Drinks, the West Yorkshire-based soft drinks manufacturer with 120 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Epic Reconstruction. 12-Jan-2004 Graphicraft, the Bedford-based manufacturer of self-adhesive graphics, has acquired Omnigraphics Industrial of South Africa. 07-Jan-2004 Shepley Window Systems has acquired Interframe, the Devon-based manufacturer of window frames, for an estimated £10m. 07-Jan-2004 Sorsky has acquired WG Bingham, the Immingham and Hull-based distributor of workforce clothing and personal protective equipment, for undisclosed terms. 07-Jan-2004 Aneda, the biotechnology company spun out from Edinburgh University, has been acquired by QbioCom of Surrey for £1m. 06-Jan-2004 MCS is to acquire the music publishing administration operations of Palan for £2.2m, and is now looking to raise at least £8m in a flotation on Aim. 05-Jan-2004 Bentleys Toyota and Barclays Citroen, the Warrington-based car dealerships, have undergone a management buy-out from Mainland Investments, and the business will be expanded with an increase in the 90-strong workforce. 05-Jan-2004
|