U K
B U S I N E S S
P A R K
home page


Mergers & Acquisitions 2005
2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996

The information below comes from the UK Activity Report.
Click here for further details

EFSIS, the Milton Keynes-based food safety inspection company, is to be acquired by SAI Global of Australia for about £5m. 29-Dec-2005 Themutual.net is to acquire iD Factor, the Richmond-based online market research company, for up to £3m. 29-Dec-2005 Dewhurst is to acquire Traffic Management Products, the Surrey-based supplier of parking and traffic control products, for up to £6.5m. 27-Dec-2005 Schofield Publishing has acquired SB Communications, the London-based specialist healthcare publisher, for undisclosed terms. 27-Dec-2005 Hartley's Printing has acquired Wilprint Group for undisclosed terms, creating a new Cardiff-based printing group called HartleyWilprint with 50 staff. 27-Dec-2005 Bailey Teswaine has acquired Kedington NI, the Belfast-based cabling supplier with 35 staff, from BT for undisclosed terms. 22-Dec-2005 Scotmin Nutrition, the Ayr-based animal feeds company, has been acquired by Buccleuch Group of Selkirk for undisclosed terms. 22-Dec-2005 Boxwood has sold Certainty Group, the Leeds-based support services and facilities management company with annual turnover of £20m, to a management buy-out. 20-Dec-2005 Sepha, the Newtownards-based packaging equipment manufacturer with 15 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Enterprise Equity. 16-Dec-2005 Cyberdyne Entertainment, the Bristol-based online betting company, has been acquired by DM for an initial £0.2m. 15-Dec-2005 Next Fifteen Communications is to acquire Credo Communications, the strategic communications consultancy with annual turnover of £0.3m, in order to expand its Bite Communications business. 15-Dec-2005 JT Atkinson & Sons has acquired Littlefairs Builders Merchants & Ironmongers, the operator of three branches in Kirkby Stephen, Appleby and Hawes, for undisclosed terms. 15-Dec-2005 Walmsley Furnishing, the Preston-based chain of 100 furniture stores, has been bought out of administration by a new company called Unibrook for undisclosed terms. 14-Dec-2005 NBA Quantum is to acquire Taylor Rumford Consulting, the construction industry consultancy operating under the name of Dearden Associates, for up to £1.5m. 12-Dec-2005 Dunlop GRG, the Manchester-based manufacturer of tanks for transporting fuel and water with 50 staff, has been acquired by Trelleborg of Sweden for undisclosed terms. 12-Dec-2005 Kerridge, the supplier of dealer management systems with offices in Hungerford, Bristol, Glasgow, Taunton and Telford, has been acquired by Automatic Data Processing of the US for £173m. 12-Dec-2005 Prime People is to acquire Macdonald & Company, the recruitment consultancy, in a £10m reverse takeover. 12-Dec-2005 Arlington, the property fund management company, has been acquired by Macquarie Goodman of Australia for about £200m. 12-Dec-2005 Taylowe, the Maidenhead-based packaging company with 150 staff, has undergone a management buy-out from TP8 for undisclosed terms, and is now looking to relocate the business to a purpose-built site. 09-Dec-2005 Lightly & Lightly is to merge with Hawley & Partners to create LHL Group, a combined Yorkshire-based building surveying and architectural practice with 40 staff. 09-Dec-2005 John Standing Outside Caterers, the Brighton-based catering company with 25 staff, has been acquired by Kent-based Big Fill for undisclosed terms. 07-Dec-2005 Century Subsea, the Aberdeen-based supplier of survey, positioning and subsea services with 90 staff, has been acquired by Geo ASA of Norway for about £12m, and is now planning to create 30 new jobs. 07-Dec-2005 Alloy Bodies, the Manchester-based manufacturer of bodies for vans and trucks with 100 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 06-Dec-2005 Software Solutions Partners has acquired Sectornet, the Buckinghamshire-based supplier of commercial insurance broking systems with annual turnover of £7.5m, for undisclosed terms. 06-Dec-2005 Murray International Metals, the metals trading firm with 60 staff in Scotland, is to be sold to US private equity group Jefferies Capital Partners for £112m. 05-Dec-2005 Sabre Triad, the Preston-based flexible packaging manufacturer with 45 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 05-Dec-2005 Sarnatech BNL, the plastic bearings manufacturer with 127 staff and a factory in Knaresborough, has been acquired by Plastics Capital for undisclosed terms. 05-Dec-2005 Fraikin has bought the Coventry-based commercial vehicle division of Lex Transfleet from RAC for undisclosed terms, which will involve the transfer of 457 staff at 15 rental centres and six maintenance sites across the country. 02-Dec-2005 Dewhirst Accessories, the Blyth-based gift pack manufacturer with 120 staff, has undergone a management buy-in. 02-Dec-2005 Sweetmans Select Savouries, the Swansea-based bakery, has been bought out of administration by Cleary Foods Group for undisclosed terms, saving more than 40 jobs. 28-Nov-2005 William Halley Group, the Dundee-based textiles supplier with 40 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 28-Nov-2005 Morethanhotels has acquired Foremost Hotels, the operator of three Express by Holiday Inn hotels, for undisclosed terms. 28-Nov-2005 SEAC, the Leicester-based fasteners manufacturer with 50 staff, has undergone a management buy-out from Halma. 25-Nov-2005 AssetCo Group, the asset management services company with 402 staff in Belfast, Reading, London and Papworth, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 23-Nov-2005 Sagitta Asset Management has been acquired by Fleming Family & Partners for undisclosed terms, with the transfer of ten staff. 23-Nov-2005 ADVFN is to acquire Equity Holdings, the equity research company, for up to £1.5m. 22-Nov-2005 Pumptools has acquired Strata Oil Tools, the Aberdeen-based supplier of downhole systems and tools, for undisclosed terms. 22-Nov-2005 Red Bee Media is to acquire Australian Caption Centre, the subtitling and video services company, for £3.2m. 21-Nov-2005 MCG Graphics, the package printing company with 105 staff in Hull, London and Cumbria, has been acquired by Southern Graphic Systems of the US for undisclosed terms. 18-Nov-2005 Shore To Shore has acquired John Hampden Packaging, the folding carton company, and Shore to Shore will transfer its own Nottingham division to the JHP site in Derbyshire. 18-Nov-2005 EndX, the Oldham-based supplier of gaming management software with 35 staff, has been acquired by Progressive Gaming of the US for £15m. 18-Nov-2005 Cavendish Grant is to merge with Chartwell to create a combined Bath-based financial services group with 60 staff. 18-Nov-2005 XenoSense, the Belfast-based biotechnology company with seven staff, has been acquired by Biacore International of Sweden. 17-Nov-2005 Seabay has acquired Quickfish, the Grimsby-based seafood importer and distributor, for undisclosed terms. 17-Nov-2005 Systems Geotechnique has acquired Fondedile Foundations from Sir Robert McAlpine for undisclosed terms, and the business will move from Hemel Hempstead to a new office in Alton, Hampshire. 17-Nov-2005 VolkerWessels has acquired Laser Holdings, the civil engineering contractor with 250 staff, for undisclosed terms. 17-Nov-2005 Language Line, the language interpreting service with about 670 translators and interpreters, is to be acquired by a US-based company of the same name for about £23m. 16-Nov-2005 Dassett Process Engineering is to merge with BottleTech Solutions, the Cheltenham-based manufacturer of bagging and automation equipment. 11-Nov-2005 Andy Thornton, the West Yorkshire-based interior design and architectural salvage company with 190 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 11-Nov-2005 Helix RDS, the Aberdeen-based oil and gas consultancy with 180 staff, has been acquired by Cal Dive International of the US for £18m. 11-Nov-2005 Dawson & Son, the Leeds-based industrial brush manufacturer with 40 staff, has been acquired Koti Group of the Netherlands. 10-Nov-2005 Whitecroft Lighting, the Manchester-based lighting company with 280 staff, has been acquired by Fagerhult of Sweden for £21m. 09-Nov-2005 DeVries has bought the Welptons car dealership in Hessle out of administration, while the bodyshop, parts and Hyundai operations of the Welpton Group have been acquired by Beerhouse Self Drive. 09-Nov-2005 Polymer Laboratories, the Shropshire-based scientific instruments company with 160 staff, has been acquired by Varian of the US for £24m. 09-Nov-2005 Noble Investments is planning to acquire Baldwins, the London-based coin dealer and auctioneer, for £4.5m. 07-Nov-2005 Aegis Defence Services has acquired Rubicon International Services, the security risk management company, for undisclosed terms. 07-Nov-2005 Fidelity Systems has acquired Carr Cash Registers, the Northampton-based cash register company, for less than £0.2m. 04-Nov-2005 Hitchen Foods, the Wigan-based supplier of prepared vegetables and salads with 750 staff, has been acquired by Geest for £44m. 02-Nov-2005 O2, the mobile phone operator, has accepted a £17.7bn takeover bid from Telefonica of Spain. 01-Nov-2005 Trutex, the Clitheroe-based supplier of school wear with annual turnover of about £14m, has undergone a management buy-out. 31-Oct-2005 Mezzo Studios has acquired Keyframe, the Leeds-based animation, graphics and new media specialist, for undisclosed terms. 31-Oct-2005 Noble Fund Managers has acquired Sitka, the London-based development capital firm, for undisclosed terms. 31-Oct-2005 Dalgleish, the property agent with 93 staff, is set to be acquired by CB Richard Ellis for £27m. 31-Oct-2005 Nottingham Volkswagen has acquired the Newbolds Garage in Mansfield, and has also announced plans to relocate one of its Nottingham sites from Vernon Road to Priory Garage in Daybrook. 28-Oct-2005 Baylea Homecare, the Hull-based care home operator with 70 staff, has been acquired by Springfield Homecare of Leeds for undisclosed terms. 28-Oct-2005 Calypso, the Wrexham-based soft drinks manufacturer with 180 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 27-Oct-2005 Profile Group of Companies, the glazing and seating company, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms and will now relocate ten staff from Derby to Castle Donington. 26-Oct-2005 Acordis, the Grimsby-based fibre manufacturer with 235 staff, has been bought out of administration by a management team and a consortium of private investors for £12m, and the business will be renamed Worldwide Fibres. 25-Oct-2005 Johnsons Cars has acquired the Asgard Volvo car dealerships in Stourbridge and Solihull for undisclosed terms, taking its total network to 16. 24-Oct-2005 Brian Jones & Associates, the Hertford-based polyurethane chemicals distributor, has been acquired by IMCD, the Dutch company that owns Honeywill & Stein of Sutton, Surrey. 21-Oct-2005 ICL Imaging, the Birmingham-based display printing company, has undergone a management buy-out. 21-Oct-2005 Redbus Film Distribution has been acquired by Lions Gate Entertainment of Canada for £20m. 19-Oct-2005 Support in Sport has acquired Palmyra, the Cumbria-based synthetic carpets manufacturer, creating a new group called SIS Manufacturing. 18-Oct-2005 Gateley Wareing is to merge with Henderson Boyd Jackson to create a combined law firm called HBJ Gateley Wareing with offices in Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leicester and Nottingham. 17-Oct-2005 Celesio is to buy 111 Cohens and Scholes pharmacies in the north-west, Midlands and Yorkshire for up to £130m, in order to expand its Lloydspharmacy chain. 17-Oct-2005 Books for Students, the Warwick-based book distribution business with more than 200 staff, has been bought out of administration by AT Little & Sons. 14-Oct-2005 Ovenden Papers has acquired Davies Harvey & Murrell, creating a combined paper merchanting group with 66 staff. 14-Oct-2005 Select Hardware has acquired Cardiff-based Basic Hardware and Maxi-Pax for undisclosed terms, in order to expand its hardware products wholesaling business. 14-Oct-2005 Lyceum Group has sold three bars at Liverpool's Albert Dock to Lancashire-based JI Entertainment, in a deal estimated at more than £3m. 13-Oct-2005 The Savoy Theatre in London has been acquired by the Ambassador Theatre Group and three impresarios for about £7m. 13-Oct-2005 Petrol Express has acquired 14 petrol filling stations in the Midlands and South Wales from Texaco for £4.5m, taking its total chain to 62. 12-Oct-2005 H&C Dickie has acquired Sheba Plant, the Newark-based plant hire company, for undisclosed terms. 12-Oct-2005 Key-Tech, the Kirkcaldy-based electronics company with 70 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 11-Oct-2005 Basepoint, the developer of enterprise centres, is to be acquired by ACG Rented Properties for £21m. 10-Oct-2005 Granta Books, the book and magazine publisher, has been acquired by Sigrid Rausing for about £3m. 10-Oct-2005 National Screen has acquired Madeart, the London-based reprographics and print management company. 07-Oct-2005 Spectrum Interactive has acquired the fixed and wireless public internet access business of Broadreach Networks for undisclosed terms, including about 400 access points across the UK. 06-Oct-2005 Ashworth Mairs Group, the Merseyside-based loss adjuster with more than 250 staff at ten regional offices, has undergone a £62m management buy-out backed by Hermes Private Equity. 06-Oct-2005 Boxstar has been bought out of administration by TP8 of Langley, Berkshire, securing the future of 300 jobs at its packaging operations in Accrington, Leicester, Maidenhead and Leeds. 06-Oct-2005 Alliance Trust Savings is to acquire Wolanski & Co Trustees, including a SIPP and SSAS pensions administration business and 50 London-based staff. 04-Oct-2005 Intelli, the Edinburgh-based corporate finance boutique with 16 staff, has been acquired by Iimia Investment Group for about £5m. 03-Oct-2005 DDS Medicines Research, the Dundee-based company with 80 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for an estimated £1m, and will be rebranded as Drug Development Solutions. 03-Oct-2005 Apace is to acquire MM Televizia, the Bulgarian TV broadcasting company, for £0.5m. 03-Oct-2005 Richardson, the Kent-based social housing contractor with almost 100 staff, has been acquired by investment company Chaldean. 03-Oct-2005 Oldbury Aluminium Alloys, the Halesowen-based manufacturer of aluminium ingots, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 29-Sep-2005 Belgravium Technologies is to acquire Touchstar Technologies, the manufacturer of mobile computing devices, for £11m. 28-Sep-2005 Controlled Demolition Group of Wakefield has been bought out of administration by Linkway Manufacturing of Driffield for £1.9m, securing the future of 140 jobs. 27-Sep-2005 Lapistor, the Bradford-based data storage company, has undergone a £4m management buy-out backed by Barclays Bank Corporate. 27-Sep-2005 Caledonia Oil & Gas, the gas producer with stakes in 15 North Sea fields, is to be acquired by Eon of Germany for £470m. 27-Sep-2005 Trilogy Telecom, the broadband service provider, has been bought out of administration by Edge Telecom for undisclosed terms. 26-Sep-2005 Visage Imports, the Tyneside-based fashion supplier, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 26-Sep-2005 Kelvin Graphics of Manchester has acquired Direct Imaging, the Cheadle-based digital printing company. 23-Sep-2005 John Letters, the Glasgow-based golf club manufacturer, has been bought out of administration by Direct Golf UK for an estimated £0.5m. 22-Sep-2005 Harrowell Shaftoe is to merge with Ashworth Tetlow, creating a combined Yorkshire-based legal firm with 160 staff. 22-Sep-2005 WorkPlace Systems International has acquired Labor Solutions International, the US-based retail consultancy, for £3.3m. 20-Sep-2005 Netb2b2 has acquired Fernhart New Media, the Croydon-based web site design and interactive TV consultancy, for up to £2.5m. 20-Sep-2005 TFS Derby, the Derby-based manufacturer of specialist screws with 30 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 20-Sep-2005 Southern Co-operatives is to acquire David's Stores, the chain of eight stores on the Isle of Wight, and £2m will be invested at the sites in 2006. 19-Sep-2005 Olaer, the Chester-based parts maker with 300 staff and sites in France, Scandinavia, Switzerland and the US, is to be acquired by Gresham Private Equity Solutions for £40m. 19-Sep-2005 Special Metals Corporation has been acquired by Precision Costparts Corporation of the US for £300m, which will mean new ownership for the 680 staff at the Special Metals Wiggin subsidiary in Hereford. 15-Sep-2005 John G Russell has bought Norfrost, the Caithness-based manufacturer of freezers and refrigeration equipment, out of administration, securing 94 jobs. 14-Sep-2005 Ipswich & Norwich Co-op is to merge with Colchester & East Essex Co-op to create a group of 200 trading outlets called the East of England Co-op. 13-Sep-2005 ThirdForce is to acquire Creative Learning Media, the Somerset-based e-learning company with 40 staff, for an initial £1.2m. 12-Sep-2005 Airborne Systems has acquired Advanced Inflatable Products, and production of balloons and other inflatables will relocate from Southend-on-Sea to its Irvin-GQ factory near Bridgend. 09-Sep-2005 Bryken High Speed Turnings, the Knowsley-based engineering company with about 100 staff, is to undergo a £3m management buy-out backed by NatWest Commercial Banking. 08-Sep-2005 TM Group, the chain of 1,300 newsagents and convenience stores, is to undergo a £165m management buy-out backed by Bank of Scotland Corporate. 08-Sep-2005 Sandhurst Equipment Rental has acquired JL Plant Services, the Fife-based construction equipment hire company, for undisclosed terms. 08-Sep-2005 Red Carnation Hotels has bought the Egerton House hotel in Knightsbridge, London, from Townhouse Hotel Investments for about £6m. 08-Sep-2005 Idis, the pharmaceuticals importer, has undergone a £22m management buy-out backed by Close Brothers Private Equity. 07-Sep-2005 Serviced Office Group has acquired Willowbank Office Centres, the operator of three leasehold business centres in Uxbridge and Marlow, for £0.2m. 05-Sep-2005 Lombard Risk Management is to acquire STB Systems, the London-based supplier of compliance automation systems, for an initial £2m. 02-Sep-2005 CET Group, the Maidstone-based housing subsidence specialist with 228 staff at seven sites, has undergone a £15m management buy-out backed by Sand Aire Private Equity. 02-Sep-2005 Strategic Retail is to acquire eight home furnishings stores and other assets from East Kilbride-based Texstyle World Home for £1.5m, while eight other stores will close with the loss of 45 jobs. 01-Sep-2005 Mangar International has acquired MFC Survival, the Tonypandy-based supplier of safety and survival equipment with 69 staff, for undisclosed terms. 01-Sep-2005 BecoSolar, the Dartmouth-based developer of solar power systems, has undergone a management buy-in backed by Bank of Scotland Corporate and Finance South West. 01-Sep-2005 Nordic Holdings, the waste recycling, port terminal and document storage company with sites in Southampton, Chatham and Corby, has undergone a £13m management buy-out. 30-Aug-2005 Loders Motor Group, the operator of Toyota, Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda car dealerships in Dorset and Somerset, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 30-Aug-2005 Inyx is to acquire Celltech Manufacturing Services, the Manchester-based pharmaceuticals development company with 300 staff, from UCB for £19m, and will change its name from CMSL to Ashton Pharmaceuticals. 29-Aug-2005 Pan Fish of Norway has acquired two Scottish fish farming companies - Corrie Mhor Salmon of Wester Ross for £4.7m and Murray Seafoods of Loch Fyne for £5.5m. 29-Aug-2005 Hammond Heat Treatment, the Darlaston-based heat treatment company, has been bought out of administration by a management team, securing the future of about 60 jobs. 25-Aug-2005 Mueller Europe has acquired Brassware Sales and Instox, two Birmingham-based plumbing product suppliers, from KX Group. 24-Aug-2005 AB2000 has acquired the plant hire division of MB Engineering Services for £1.1m, and the 18 staff will transfer to its Cambuslang depot in Glasgow. 24-Aug-2005 Studley Castle, the Warwickshire conference centre, is expected to be sold by Phoenix Venture Holdings to the Firoka Group for £4.5m. 24-Aug-2005 Ferrovial of Spain has acquired Swissport International, the ground handling company with more than 1,500 UK staff at airports in Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham, Gatwick and Stansted, for £438m. 23-Aug-2005 PGL Travel, the Herefordshire-based activity holiday company, has undergone a £42m management buy-out. 23-Aug-2005 Marshall Wooldridge has acquired Kay Hardman Insurance Brokers of Leeds for undisclosed terms. 22-Aug-2005 INCAT, the design services company with 650 staff and offices in Luton and Bristol, is to be acquired by Tata Motors of India for £53m. 22-Aug-2005 Back Group, the Birmingham-based construction and property consultancy with 70 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms, and will change its name to DBK Back. 19-Aug-2005 CamAxys, the Cambridgeshire-based risk management software company with 15 staff, has been acquired by management for less than £0.2m. 19-Aug-2005 Nightspeed Services, the Tipton-based parcels carrier with 900 staff and 23 depots, has been bought out of administration by Amtrak Express Parcels. 19-Aug-2005 British Benzol, the Aylesbury-based oil distributor with 15 depots, has been acquired by the Total Butler division of Total UK. 19-Aug-2005 Airotech Holdings and John Gladstone Dyers & Finishers of Huddersfield have undergone a management buy-out from the Uniworth Group of India, securing the future of 60 jobs. 17-Aug-2005 Racal Acoustics, the Harrow-based communications equipment manufacturer, has been acquired by private equity firm ECI for £52m, and £50m will be invested in the expansion of the business over the next two years. 16-Aug-2005 Voltek Automation, the supplier of security equipment, is to be acquired by Digital Cybermasters Group in a £2.8m reverse takeover. 15-Aug-2005 Avalon Television has acquired Liberty Bell, the independent TV production company with offices in Newcastle and London. 15-Aug-2005 Truflo Air Movement, the Tipton-based cooling fans manufacturer with more than 100 staff, has been acquired by Phillips & Temro Industries of the US for undisclosed terms. 11-Aug-2005 Inventures, the NHS consultancy with 50 staff in London, Bath, Leeds, Plymouth and Eastleigh, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 10-Aug-2005 BioCare, the Birmingham-based distributor of natural healthcare products and food supplements, has been acquired by Aim-listed cash shell NeutraHealth for £16m. 09-Aug-2005 Pivotal Laboratories, the York-based analytical services company, has undergone a £8m management buy-out backed by Northern Venture Managers. 09-Aug-2005 Holland Mitchell of Southampton has merged with Young & Butt of Fareham to create a combined property agency with 22 staff. 08-Aug-2005 Zerographic Systems has acquired Document Systems, the Wakefield-based office equipment company with 25 staff, for £1m. 08-Aug-2005 Apex Computers International, the Swindon-based computer company with 70 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 08-Aug-2005 Sunquest Tanning Systems, the Tameside-based sunbed manufacturer with 70 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 04-Aug-2005 Alfred Steel, the Sheffield-based steel castings company, has been acquired by a joint management team from BAS Castings and HI Quality Steel Castings for undisclosed terms. 04-Aug-2005 Linguarama, the corporate language training company that includes the Cheney Court residential training centre, has been sold by BPP Holdings to Marcus Evans Business Education Centres. 03-Aug-2005 Red Letter Days, the experience gift company, has been bought out of administration by AIC. 03-Aug-2005 Lindley Catering, the Stoke-based contract catering company with 400 staff, has been acquired by private equity firm Sovereign Capital for £14m. 02-Aug-2005 Bodycote Materials Testing has acquired Allied Laboratory Services, the Grimsby-based food testing company. 01-Aug-2005 E2V Technologies has acquired Gresham Scientific Instruments, the High Wycombe-based manufacturer of X-ray detectors, for £5.1m. 29-Jul-2005 Flintstone Technologies is to acquire InnoCleaning Magma and OspreyDeepClean in a £31m reverse takeover, and will change its name to Proventec. 27-Jul-2005 Daryl Industries, the Merseyside-based shower enclosure manufacturer with more than 200 staff, has been acquired by Kohler Mira of the US for undisclosed terms. 21-Jul-2005 Ty Europe, the Gosport-based distributor of soft toys with 35 staff, has been bought out of administration by Ty UK for undisclosed terms. 21-Jul-2005 Doughty Precision Engineering, the Nottingham-based company with 30 staff, has been acquired by Nasmyth of Pinxton for undisclosed terms. 21-Jul-2005 Semiplas, the Staffordshire-based plastics distributor, has been acquired by Centroplast Engineering Plastics of Germany. 21-Jul-2005 Medical Report Services of Redditch has merged with Ewitness, the Leeds-based medico-legal agency with 50 staff, and the new group will trade as eReporting. 20-Jul-2005 Brannams Pottery of Barnstaple has been bought out of administration by a management team, securing the future of at least 35 jobs. 20-Jul-2005 Peerless Plastics & Coatings has undergone a management buy-out, securing the future of 28 jobs in Thetford. 20-Jul-2005 Vertase, the contaminated land specialist with offices in Bristol and Sheffield, has been acquired by FLI International. 20-Jul-2005 Docuserve of Edinburgh has sold its specialist digital printing business to a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 19-Jul-2005 North British Trust Group of Edinburgh is to sell 20 hotels to Swallow Hotels & Inns for an estimated £75m, but will retain four Scottish properties to focus on adventure tourism. 18-Jul-2005 Fired Earth Interiors has acquired Shaker, the furniture supplier, for undisclosed terms. 18-Jul-2005 United Broadcast Facilities has acquired CTV Outside Broadcasts, the London-based company with 85 staff, from National Mobile Television for an estimated £15m. 18-Jul-2005 Alan Dines Partnership, the Reading-based quantity surveyor, has been acquired by Ridge for undisclosed terms. 14-Jul-2005 Legoland Parks has been acquired by US-based private equity group Blackstone for £258m, and will be combined with Blackstone's Merlin Entertainments business. 14-Jul-2005 Eezehaul has acquired APC Mobile Couriers, the Brighton-based logistics firm, for undisclosed terms. 13-Jul-2005 Thurlow Nunn has acquired the Warwick Shubrook Group of East Anglia for undisclosed terms, creating a combined group of eight Vauxhall dealerships. 13-Jul-2005 Inmedia Communications, the satellite services company, is to be acquired by Macquarie of Australia for £70m. 11-Jul-2005 Intermodal Resource is to acquire Taylored Hire, the truck and trailer contract hire company based in the North West, for £1.9m. 08-Jul-2005 Laplace Electrical has acquired RE Dew, the Reading-based controls company with 15 staff, for about £0.6m. 08-Jul-2005 United Co-op Health Care has acquired Sheard Group, the chain of seven pharmacies in Leeds and Harrogate, as well as Saffer Chemists, which has two stores in Leeds, for undisclosed terms. 08-Jul-2005 Viking Outsourcing has acquired the Ignite customer contact centre in Hartlepool for undisclosed terms, and the 120-strong workforce is expected to double over the next 12 months. 07-Jul-2005 Esslemont & Macintosh, the Aberdeen-based department store with 120 staff, has been acquired by Owen Owen for undisclosed terms. 07-Jul-2005 Eurotel, the Halifax-based telecoms company with 320 staff, has undergone a £20m management buy-out. 07-Jul-2005 Southampton Saab has acquired WhiteQuay, the Saab dealership with sites in Reading and Newbury, for undisclosed terms. 06-Jul-2005 Formjet has acquired SouthCoast Distributions, the supplier of OEM software products with annual turnover of £1.7m. 05-Jul-2005 Wakefield Acoustics, the Cleckheaton-based supplier of noise control products with 20 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 05-Jul-2005 Readmans, the Leeds-based clothing and homewares retailer, has been bought out of administration by the founding family, securing the future of more than 100 jobs. 04-Jul-2005 RDL, the Paignton-based electrical goods manufacturer with 48 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 04-Jul-2005 Dryden Wealth Management, the private wealth manager, has been acquired by Fortis for £57m. 04-Jul-2005 Norse Merchant Ferries, the ferry operator with 450 staff at terminals in Birkenhead, Belfast and Dublin, is to be acquired by Norfolkline for undisclosed terms. 01-Jul-2005 PTM, the Stockport-based engineering company with 38 staff, has undergone a £2m management buy-out. 01-Jul-2005 Heritage Pub Company has sold its chain of 231 pubs to the Globe Pub Company for about £79m, and the leased sites will be operated by Scottish & Newcastle Pub Enterprises. 01-Jul-2005 Anglia Vale has bought Paramount Plastic Productions, the Ely-based injection moulder, out of administration. 30-Jun-2005 Alsters Kelley Solicitors, the Coventry-based law firm with 185 staff, has merged with Richards, Heynes & Coopers. 29-Jun-2005 Goodmarriott & Hursthouse, the electrical contractor with more than 200 staff in Nottingham and Leeds, has been acquired by Imtech of the Netherlands. 29-Jun-2005 Walton Hall, the stately home near Stratford-upon-Avon, has been acquired by Dawnay Shore Hotels for £15m, and £10m will be spent converting it into a 200-room hotel with conference facilities. 28-Jun-2005 Quinn Plastics has acquired Polyex, the Derbyshire-based polycarbonate extruder, and Victoria Plastics of Hull for undisclosed terms. 27-Jun-2005 Berkeley Group is to sell Crosby Group, the residential property developer with offices in Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, to Lend Lease for £236m. 24-Jun-2005 Spooner Vicars, the Merseyside-based manufacturer of production lines for the food industry with 111 staff, has been acquired by Avalanche Holdings of the US. 24-Jun-2005 The Grove Wharf and Neap House 190-acre port complex on the River Trent in North Lincolnshire has been sold to a management team for an estimated £25m. 23-Jun-2005 Ratcliff, the Welwyn Garden City-based tail-lift manufacturer with 220 staff, has been acquired by Palfinger of Austria for undisclosed terms. 23-Jun-2005 SR Pharma is planning to acquire Atugen, the German biotechnology company with 30 staff, in a reverse takeover. 22-Jun-2005 Brady is to acquire Tradesoft, the Dutch supplier of software solutions to commodity traders. 22-Jun-2005 Autotype International, the specialist film coating company with annual turnover of £48m, has been acquired by MacDermid of the US. 20-Jun-2005 Boldon James, the messaging solutions company, has undergone a £5.5m management buy-out backed by ISIS Equity Partners. 17-Jun-2005 Leader Communications, the Henley in Arden-based public relations agency, has merged with The Immediate Consultancy of Solihull. 14-Jun-2005 Autocue International has been acquired by Root Capital for an estimated £2m. 13-Jun-2005 Tyco Plastics has sold its plastic films business, which has 380 staff at plants in Potters Bar, Preston, Leeds and Brighouse, to Gil Investments for undisclosed terms. 13-Jun-2005 Grabor Plastics, the Suffolk-based extrusion blow moulder and bottle decorator, has been acquired by Polimoon for undisclosed terms. 10-Jun-2005 Lornamead has bought Vosene shampoo and other personal care brands from Procter & Gamble for undisclosed terms. 09-Jun-2005 Cannon Avent, the supplier of baby care products, is to be acquired by Charterhouse Development Capital for about £300m. 07-Jun-2005 Mind's Eye Productions, the producer of interactive TV games, has been acquired by Walt Disney Company of the US for undisclosed terms. 06-Jun-2005 Hackett, the outfitter with 12 shops, has been acquired by Torreal of Spain for about £15m. 06-Jun-2005 Grays Personnel, the recruitment agency with offices in Horsham, Epsom, Sutton, and Worthing, has been acquired by the Berry Recruitment subsidiary of Multi for £0.3m. 06-Jun-2005 K3 Business Technology is to acquire Information Engineering Group, the Manchester-based distributor of enterprise resource planning software, for an initial £3.8m. 03-Jun-2005 Newsco, the regional newspaper publisher with annual turnover of £3m, has undergone a management buy-out. 03-Jun-2005 Sandicliffe has acquired the Chevrolet and Mazda franchises in Nottingham from the Gordon Lamb Group, with the transfer of 40 staff. 03-Jun-2005 Snappy Snaps is to acquire the FotoStop Express network of 267 independent photography traders. 02-Jun-2005 Wernick Group has acquired Accommodation Hire of Wolverhampton and CDC of the West Country, taking its network of modular building hire depots to 30. 02-Jun-2005 Great Northern Envelopes, the Leeds-based envelope supplier with 123 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by YFM Private Equity and Matrix Private Equity. 01-Jun-2005 Hydro International has acquired Vexamus Water, the Ely-based supplier of water treatment equipment, for under £0.2m. 27-May-2005 Formpro has merged with Mail Marketing International to create a combined commercial printing business with sites in Cheddar, Bristol and Weston-super-Mare. 27-May-2005 David Powell Bakeries of Hampshire is to be acquired by the Kidderminster-based subsidiary of Rich Products Corporation of the US. 27-May-2005 Chameleon Skaife has acquired Concorde Tape Solutions of Bradford for £1m, creating a combined spool winding contractor with 37 staff. 27-May-2005 Bondvend, the Wirral-based sportswear company trading as The Soccer Kit Company, has undergone a £1.6m management buy-in. 26-May-2005 DDD Security Systems of Coventry has undergone a £0.7m management buy-out backed by Bank of Scotland, and the 15-strong workforce is expected to increase. 26-May-2005 Met Surveys has acquired JSM Designs, the Leeds-based civil and structural engineering and transport consultancy, creating a combined group with 70 staff. 25-May-2005 Taylor & Jones, the Huddersfield-based tooling manufacturer with 35 staff, has undergone a £1m management buy-in. 24-May-2005 Clark Business Products has merged with Bath-based 1st Office Equipment Group and Bristol-based Braley Reprographics to form a new group called 1st Office, and there are plans to open new franchised shops across the south west. 24-May-2005 United Agri Products, the Cambridgeshire-based supplier of agrochemicals with 250 staff at a nationwide network of sites, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 23-May-2005 Walker Hamill, the London-based recruitment consultant, is to undergo a second management buy-out for £10m. 20-May-2005 Helix Associates, the private equity fund placement firm with 17 staff, has been acquired by Jefferies Group of the US for undisclosed terms. 20-May-2005 Homebuy Group has acquired BC Acquisition for £28m, in order to expand its customer base for rented televisions and other electrical equipment. 18-May-2005 Easy i, the developer of company learning programmes with about 40 staff in Norwich and Kenilworth, has been acquired by SAI Global of Australia. 17-May-2005 Smythson of Bond Street, the stationery retailer, has been acquired by Kelso Place Asset Management for £16m. 17-May-2005 Audio Processing Technology, the Belfast-based audio compression company with 15 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Crescent Capital and Trinity Venture Capital. 16-May-2005 Quintic, the Cambridge-based CAD software company in Cambridge with 17 staff, has been acquired by CAD Schroer of Germany for undisclosed terms. 16-May-2005 Infratec has acquired RT Masts, the Wellingborough-based cable installation company with more than 70 staff, for undisclosed terms. 16-May-2005 Abermed Industrial Doctors, the Aberdeen-based occupational health services firm, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Northern Venture Managers. 13-May-2005 Kainos is to invest £3.3m in the expansion of its Belfast-based IT services business, with the creation of up to 45 new jobs over the next year. 13-May-2005 Palmaris Capital is to sell its plant hire and services business to Patersons Quarries for an initial £1.2m. 13-May-2005 Blendex Food Ingredients, the seasoning manufacturer with 74 staff at a factory in Hetton-le-Hole, has undergone a management buy-out. 13-May-2005 Whiteley Insurance Consultants of Halifax has been sold by its liquidators, with Travel & General Insurance Company acquiring the travel business and WY Risk Management acquiring the commercial insurance division. 13-May-2005 TJ International, the Cornwall-based book manufacturer with 145 staff, has been sold by Ulverscroft Foundation to a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 13-May-2005 Quadriga Concepts has acquired Metropolitan Stone, the Wokingham-based stone restoration company, for undisclosed terms. 11-May-2005 Belso's UK Cereals, the Peterborough-based breakfast cereal supplier with 30 staff, has been acquired by Bokomo Foods of South Africa. 11-May-2005 Ferrabyrne, the Littlehampton-based rubber components manufacturer, has undergone a £3m management buy-out backed by Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance. 10-May-2005 Gamingking has acquired Kelly's Eye, the supplier of lottery tickets and gaming products, for £1.3m. 09-May-2005 Minimix, the aggregates and ready-mixed concrete company with 67 staff at four sites in South Wales, has been acquired by Lafarge Aggregates for undisclosed terms. 06-May-2005 Firstline, the Bicester-based automotive components distributor with 90 staff, has undergone a secondary management buy-out from Aberdeen Murray Johnstone Private Equity. 05-May-2005 Airedale International, the Leeds-based air conditioning company with 450 staff, has been acquired by Modine Manufacturing Company of the US for £20m. 05-May-2005 Lowdham Leisureworld has acquired Colin's Caravans, the Reading-based caravan dealer. 05-May-2005 Tangent Plastics has acquired Impress, the Witham-based injection moulding company, for undisclosed terms. 05-May-2005 Probotec, the Cardiff-based manufacturer of rail wagons with 40 staff, has been bought out of administration by English Welsh & Scottish Railway. 04-May-2005 DH Jones Hardware, the Stourbridge-based architectural ironmongery company with 25 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 04-May-2005 Judges Capital is to acquire Fire Testing Technology, the manufacturer of fire testing equipment, for £3.7m. 02-May-2005 WH Trade Binders of Daventry has been bought out of administration by a former management team for undisclosed terms, securing the future of 56 jobs. 29-Apr-2005 Saville Tractors has acquired Tana UK, the supplier of waste compactors, for undisclosed terms. 28-Apr-2005 Colab, the Coventry-based photographic company with 39 staff, has been bought out of administration by a management team. 27-Apr-2005 Penton Media Europe, the business-to-business media company, has undergone a management buy-out from its US parent company, in a deal backed by Northern Venture Managers. 27-Apr-2005 Merebrook has acquired Barkonsult, the Cardiff-based civil and structural engineering consultant with about 20 staff, for undisclosed terms. 26-Apr-2005 Basebuy has been bought out of administration by a management team, securing 300 jobs at 29 discount clothing stores. 26-Apr-2005 Eurofins Laboratories has acquired Direct Laboratory Services, the Wolverhampton-based testing and research facility with 100 staff, for undisclosed terms. 25-Apr-2005 Dudley Inkwell has acquired TBS International Office Supplies of Washington, and has transferred the business to its site in Gateshead. 25-Apr-2005 Spring Fine Foods has bought Sheriffs of Kingsbridge, the Exeter-based biscuit manufacturer, out of administration for undisclosed terms, but 60 jobs have been lost. 22-Apr-2005 Able Community Care is to acquire Homecall, the Suffolk-based provider of home care services. 21-Apr-2005 Dorset Cereals, the Dorchester-based manufacturer of breakfast cereals, has undergone a management buy-in backed by Langholm Capital. 20-Apr-2005 English Architectural Glazing, the Mildenhall-based glazing company with 110 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 18-Apr-2005 ACIS (Advanced Communications & Information Systems), the provider of transport information systems with 120 staff, has undergone a £25m management buy-out backed by Inflexion Private Equity. 15-Apr-2005 United Co-op Travel has acquired Hourds Travel, the Stafford-based chain of six travel agents, which will double the turnover of its business travel division to £60m. 14-Apr-2005 Telcon Packaging, the Kent-based laminated tube manufacturer, has been acquired by Essel Propack of India for undisclosed terms. 14-Apr-2005 Elevation Events is to acquire two corporate hospitality companies, including Event Vision La Dolce Vita for £1.7m and Philip Talbot Productions for £1.9m. 14-Apr-2005 KAE, the London-based strategic marketing consultancy, is to be acquired by Optimisa for £1.9m. 13-Apr-2005 Judge's Choice Petfood of Norfolk has acquired the Happidog brand of vegetarian dog food and the Top Number range for working dogs from Provimi of Thirsk. 12-Apr-2005 Laminate Flooring Direct, the Middlesbrough-based chain of 22 flooring stores, has been bought out of administration by LF Direct for undisclosed terms. 11-Apr-2005 Automotive Technik, the armoured vehicle manufacturer, is to be acquired by Stewart & Stevenson Services of the US for £25m. 11-Apr-2005 Renown Engineering, the Cramlington-based welding and precision machining company with 75 staff, has undergone a management buy-in backed by GE Commercial Finance. 08-Apr-2005 Partech Instruments is to merge with EauxSys, creating a combined Cornwall-based water testing equipment group with 24 staff called Partech. 08-Apr-2005 Woodkirk Stone, the Yorkshire-based stone quarrying company with 50 staff, has undergone a management buy-in backed by City Invoice Finance of Leeds. 07-Apr-2005 Quickfall Construction of Grimsby has been acquired by Hanson Support Services, securing the future of 50 jobs. 07-Apr-2005 Bullen, the road, rail, water and environmental company with 500 staff, has been acquired by Aecon Technology, the US-based parent of Faber Maunsell. 07-Apr-2005 Amplicon Liveline, the Brighton-based electronics and IT company with 40 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 06-Apr-2005 Heanor Gate Printing has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms, securing the future of 70 staff. 05-Apr-2005 Harlequin Leisure of Glasgow has sold the Ashoka chain of 16 Indian restaurants, which employ more than 350 staff, to Sanjay Mahju for an estimated £8m. 01-Apr-2005 Reversus is to acquire DTC, the health care services provider that arranges medical examinations and pathology testing, for £3.2m. 30-Mar-2005 IDT of Gateshead has acquired the message signs business of Basingstoke-based street lighting company Urbis for undisclosed terms. 30-Mar-2005 Linden Homes North West, the Wilmslow-based housebuilder with 65 staff, has been acquired by a newly-formed enterprise called Arley Homes for £17m. 30-Mar-2005 International Risk Consultants of Glasgow has acquired TDF Credit Insurance Services for more than £1m. 30-Mar-2005 Tarantula International, the London-based marketing services company with 27 staff, has been acquired by WPP. 29-Mar-2005 Nickerson Europe, the Wellingborough-based screw and barrel supplier that was part of Spaceminster, has been bought out of administration and will now be known as Nickerson. 24-Mar-2005 Harrington Hall, the London hotel with 200 rooms, is to be acquired by NH Hoteles of Spain for £48m. 22-Mar-2005 Martin Aitken & Co, the Glasgow-based accountancy, is to merge with Wm Lockhart & Co, and 19 Lockhart staff will relocate from its office in West Nile Street. 22-Mar-2005 Optimax has bought the Eyebright eye clinic centre in Hessle, East Yorkshire, out of administration. 22-Mar-2005 Kinnerton, the manufacturer of novelty confectionery with sites in London and Fakenham, is to be acquired by Zetar for up to £32m. 18-Mar-2005 Hardy & Greys has acquired Chub, the Essex-based supplier of carp fishing equipment, for more than £1m. 16-Mar-2005 Swiftwood, the Wisbech-based timber importer and manufacturer with 46 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 16-Mar-2005 Carr Foods, the Manchester-based cake importer with 14 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 15-Mar-2005 Curious Software, the supplier of broadcasting graphics software with 13 staff, is to be acquired by Vizrt for £4.7m. 14-Mar-2005 Centurian Hose & Couplings of Preston has acquired Glasgow-based Nethermayne and Spiraflex, in a deal backed by Cattles Invoice Finance. 11-Mar-2005 Aukett, the provider of design services to the property and construction sectors, is planning to merge with London-based architect Fitzroy Robinson in a reverse takeover. 10-Mar-2005 Complete Office Solutions has acquired Printout Supplies of Wakefield for undisclosed terms, creating the largest privately-owned stationery group in the North of England. 10-Mar-2005 Express Electrical Distributors, the Wigan-based electrical wholesaler with 120 staff at 15 depots, has undergone a £2.3m management buy-out. 08-Mar-2005 Kayfoam, the Paisley-based foam manufacturer with 56 staff, has undergone a £1.2m management buy-out from Kay-Metzler. 07-Mar-2005 Smith Melzack Pepper Angliss, the London-based property services firm with 32 staff, has been acquired by Mercury Group for up to £2m. 07-Mar-2005 GK Group has acquired County Garage, the operator of CG Ford dealerships in Carlisle, Penrith and Workington with more than 200 staff. 04-Mar-2005 Jiskoot Autocontrol, the Kent-based supplier of measurement solutions, has undergone a management buy-out. 02-Mar-2005 Motaquote Insurance, the Rhondda Valley-based insurance broker with 16 branches and 120 staff, has undergone a management buy-in for about £5m, and will be renamed ProtectaGroup. 01-Mar-2005 Acoustiguide Corporation, the supplier of audio guides to museums, has been acquired by Espro of Israel for £1.9m. 01-Mar-2005 Tech Assemblies has been bought out of administration by a new company called Cu Tech, securing the future of 43 jobs at its automotive components business in Port Talbot. 28-Feb-2005 Hodgson & Hodgson has acquired Salex Acoustic Materials, the Braintree-based supplier of acoustic components with 50 staff, from Wellman Engineering for undisclosed terms. 28-Feb-2005 Thompson Plastics Group has bought Polymer Engineering, the Crewe-based manufacturer of vehicle mouldings with 50 staff, out of administration for undisclosed terms. 28-Feb-2005 Goadsby & Harding has acquired Palmer Fry, the Southampton-based property agent, for undisclosed terms, creating a combined group with 55 staff. 28-Feb-2005 Morris Packers & Warehousing Services, the Swansea-based contract packing company with 12 staff, has undergone a management buy-in. 25-Feb-2005 Bamford Roofing, the Liverpool-based roofing contractor, has been sold by Kelpie Properties to Apex of Birmingham for undisclosed terms. 24-Feb-2005 Planned Packaging has sold its UK flexible packaging operations to a newly-created company called Planned Packaging Films. 23-Feb-2005 Pete & Johnny, the Nottinghamshire-based supplier of PJ Smoothie soft drinks with 80 staff, has been acquired by PepsiCo UK for an estimated £20m. 22-Feb-2005 Enteraction TV has acquired Red Fig, the interactive TV specialist, and Red Fig's 25 London-based staff will relocate to Enteraction's site in Vauxhall. 21-Feb-2005 Telegenic, the outside broadcast company, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 21-Feb-2005 Kigass Electronics, the West Midlands-based manufacturer of spark ignition electrodes, is to be acquired by Buckland Group for £1m. 18-Feb-2005 Cadillac Plastic, the Swindon-based plastics company with 24 staff, has undergone a management buy-out from GE Advanced Materials Speciality Film & Sheet for undisclosed terms. 18-Feb-2005 M&P Metalcraft, the Teesside-based metal fabrications company with 11 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 17-Feb-2005 Fruehauf Parts & Service has been bought out of administration by a management team, securing the future of 268 jobs and 17 branches across the country. 17-Feb-2005 Paul Holdings has undergone a £5.3m management buy-out, and is planning to relocate its Paul Fabrications business and up to 125 staff from Draycott to a purpose-built site this year. 16-Feb-2005 WCWB (Walker, Crips, Weddle, Beck) is to acquire G&E Investment Services, the York-based provider of investment advice, for an initial £1.2m. 14-Feb-2005 Technetix, the telecoms components supplier, is to merge with Tratec of the Netherlands and expects to float on Aim later this year. 14-Feb-2005 Biddles, the Norfolk-based book printing company, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 11-Feb-2005 The De Vere Belfry golf course, hotel and leisure complex near Birmingham has been acquired by the Quinn Group of Ireland for £186m. 11-Feb-2005 NAP Partnership has merged with Hyams and Brownlee of Teesside to create a combined quantity surveying and cost management firm with 130 staff. 11-Feb-2005 Creative Education Corporation is to acquire Headstart, the operator of nurseries in Peterborough, Northampton, Leighton Buzzard and Milton Keynes, for £1.5m. 10-Feb-2005 ChandlerKBS has acquired Corderoy, the Edinburgh-based project management consultant, for undisclosed terms. 09-Feb-2005 Osma Underfloor Heating of Exeter has been acquired by Wavin Group of the Netherlands for undisclosed terms. 09-Feb-2005 De Montfort Insurance Company, the surety specialist with 80 staff in Leicester and 20 in London, has been acquired by HCC Insurance Holdings of the US. 08-Feb-2005 East Coast Group has acquired Bebecar, the London-based supplier of nursery products with 20 staff, for undisclosed terms. 07-Feb-2005 LFPV, the Warwick-based supplier of special vehicles, has been sold by Extend Reach Corporation of Denmark to Conrico International. 04-Feb-2005 Vickers Pressings of Newcastle is to merge with Tolwood of Newton Aycliffe to create a combined automotive parts manufacturer called Vickers Pressings Tolwood Automotive, and the combined workforce is expected to grow from 370 to 500. 03-Feb-2005 CCS Enforcement Services, the Bromsgrove-based debt enforcement company that employs 110 bailiffs and about 100 support staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Barclays Ventures. 02-Feb-2005 Marstair has acquired the Quartz water fans manufacturing business from Vent Axia Group for undisclosed terms. 02-Feb-2005 EiRx Therapeutics has acquired a 56% stake in Auvation, the Aberdeen-based drug discovery company, for £1.5m. 01-Feb-2005 Stirling Square Capital has acquired two aerospace components suppliers - Permaswage of France and Designed Metal Connections of the US - for a total £79m. 01-Feb-2005 Cambridge Glasshouse Company, the supplier of glasshouses with 30 staff, has undergone a £1.8m management buy-out backed by Bank of Scotland Corporate. 31-Jan-2005 United Polymers, the manufacturer of rubber and plastic products with 140 staff, has been bought out of administration by Aberdare-based UK-Euro Group and has been renamed Crosslink. 31-Jan-2005 Advanced Childcare, the provider of fostering services and care homes, has undergone a £14m management buy-in and now plans to expand into the Midlands and the north-east. 28-Jan-2005 Bentleys Industrial Services of Hull is to sell its workwear rental division to Johnson's Apparelmaster, its linen rental business to Leeds-based Brooks and its NHS laundry business to Hampshire-based Sunlight Service. 28-Jan-2005 GRP Laminates, the Cowes-based boatbuilder with about 30 staff, has been bought out of administration by Oxford-based Seighford Investments. 27-Jan-2005 Corus Hotels has sold its Elmville joint venture, which includes five hotels in London, Derby, Exeter and Keswick, to a new vehicle called Leverguide for about £50m. 25-Jan-2005 Ashworth's Foods, the Preston-based pie manufacturer with 75 staff, has been bought out of administration by a local consortium called Unipex. 25-Jan-2005 Techtran Group, the University of Leeds’ research commercialisation partner, has been acquired by IP2IPO in a deal that values Techtran at £20m. 21-Jan-2005 Standard Wool, the Bradford-based wool merchant and processor, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 21-Jan-2005 Richard Lawson Autologistics, the Dundee-based vehicle distribution firm with 650 staff at 23 sites nationwide, has been bought out of administration by a management team. 21-Jan-2005 Beal Group has acquired Bradford-based companies Bradford Cover & Tent and Garden Marquees, in order to expand its Dundee-based JT Inglis textile processing business. 20-Jan-2005 Alumet Systems has acquired Avon Manufacturing, the building envelope supplier, taking its total turnover to £12m. 19-Jan-2005 Ringway has acquired TE Beach, the Dartford-based road maintenance company, for undisclosed terms. 19-Jan-2005 Watson Wyatt, the Surrey-based financial services consultancy, is to be acquired by US sister company Watson Wyatt & Company for £243m. 19-Jan-2005 Lets Drive, the Billingham-based driver training company with 55 staff, has been bought out of administration by LVG of Brighton for undisclosed terms. 17-Jan-2005 John Cheatle Group has acquired the Rawcliffes chain of 19 schoolwear shops for undisclosed terms, taking its total network to 70. 17-Jan-2005 Caterham Cars, the sports car company, has been acquired by private equity firm Corven Ventures for undisclosed terms. 17-Jan-2005 Gabriel Contractors, the Enfield-based civil engineering firm, has merged with Volker Wessels-owned highways contractor Crowley. 17-Jan-2005 Inmedia has acquired the Cast media transmission facility in London, including equipment, premises and 22 staff. 17-Jan-2005 Stepquick has acquired Lithgow Nelson, the accountancy practice with offices in Southport and Preston, for £0.6m. 14-Jan-2005 Consort Homes has acquired Helmsdale Homes, in order to expand its housebuilding business into the west coast of Scotland. 14-Jan-2005 RPL, the Birmingham-based manufacturer of repetition turned parts with annual turnover of £3m, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 13-Jan-2005 Dawnus Construction has bought the Welsh operations of Butterley Construction out of administration, including 39 staff in Bangor and Llanelli. 12-Jan-2005 Pelcombe Training, the training company with 180 staff at 35 centres across the country, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Sovereign Capital for undisclosed terms. 12-Jan-2005 Brett Oils has sold Ovoline, its lubricants operation with 60 staff in Edinburgh and Lincoln, to Fuchs of Germany for undisclosed terms. 12-Jan-2005 New Crane, the consumer publishing company, and Cottage Publishing, the publisher of puzzle magazines, have been acquired by Seven Publishing for £14m. 11-Jan-2005 Greenhous Group, the Shropshire-based chain of five car dealerships, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 11-Jan-2005 Fragonset and Merlin have merged to create a combined Derby-based train operating and rolling stock business called FM Rail, with 70 staff. 11-Jan-2005 Superquinn, the Irish grocery retailer, is to be acquired by Select Retail Holdings for £244m, and the new owners may expand the business into Northern Ireland. 10-Jan-2005 Piling Solutions, the Suffolk-based piling contractor with 45 staff, has been acquired by Spie Batignolles of France. 10-Jan-2005 ABR Solutions, the Leamington-based construction labour agency with 30 staff, has been bought out of administration by former management and is now trading as In-Site Solutions. 10-Jan-2005 Celltalk has acquired the IT and telecom assets of Beneficial Group out of administration, including 12 Manchester-based staff. 07-Jan-2005 Farrow House, the provider of adolescent care services in eastern England, has undergone a £21m management buy-out backed by 3i. 07-Jan-2005 Astropol has acquired Portwood Colour, the Bury-based PVC powder colouring company, for undisclosed terms. 06-Jan-2005 Teknor Apex of the US has acquired the engineering thermoplastics compounding business of Chem Polymer, which includes 150 staff at plants in Oldbury, Cinderford and the US, for undisclosed terms. 05-Jan-2005 Kinloch Damph, the supplier to the Scottish salmon farming industry with annual turnover of £7m, has been acquired by Norwegian-owned Scottish Sea Farms. 04-Jan-2005 The information below comes from the UK Activity Report. Click here for further details Copyright UK Business Park 1995-2007