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SureCare Services, the Guisborough-based domiciliary care firm with 110 staff, has been acquired by a new company called Heritage Healthcare. 31-Dec-2008 Woodcote Building Services and WBS Mechanical Services of Long Eaton have been bought out of administration by a local businessman for undisclosed terms, securing the future of 50 jobs. 30-Dec-2008 Pendle Doors Group has bought the Castleford-based doors division of Palgrave Brown out of administration, securing the future of 23 jobs. 29-Dec-2008 Matrix Engineered Systems, the Brechin-based manufacturer of steel assemblies with 70 staff, has been bought out of administration by Kelman Engineering. 24-Dec-2008 Recomac Surfacing, the Manchester-based road surfacing firm with 15 staff, has been bought out of administration by Road Spraying. 24-Dec-2008 LG Ball Valves, the Aldridge-based valve manufacturer with 17 staff, has been acquired by the holding company of Aberdeen Valve Supplies. 24-Dec-2008 The Driving Instructor Centre, the Wigston-based supplier of leased vehicles with 52 staff, has been acquired by Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions for £10m. 24-Dec-2008 Fletcher King has sold its Howard construction services division in Northampton to a management team, in order to focus on core activities such as fund management and investment. 23-Dec-2008 Dunham Engineering Services has announced a £3m merger with Gill & Wilkinson to create a combined Leeds-based electrical engineering group with 138 staff. 23-Dec-2008 Cameron Linn, the Glasgow-based food packaging company with 78 staff, is to go into liquidation with the sale of the order book and various trading assets to Benson Group. 22-Dec-2008 Abels Moving Services of Suffolk has formed an alliance with ICM Kungsholms of Sweden to acquire London-based executive relocation firm Michael Gerson, in order to create a combined removals and storage business with turnover of £37m. 22-Dec-2008 GLG Partners has bought the UK asset management business of Societe Generale for less than £67m, including up to 128 London-based staff. 22-Dec-2008 International Safety Products, the Bootle-based marine lifejackets manufacturer with 95 staff, has undergone a £4m management buy-out. 18-Dec-2008 IQ Holdings is to acquire Viewpoint Field, Viewpoint Studios and The Wire from Illuminas for an initial £0.7m, in order to expand its data collection services. 11-Dec-2008 Rightway has acquired W Bevan & Sons of North Wales for undisclosed terms, creating a combined chain of 16 DIY stores with 150 staff. 11-Dec-2008 James Donaldson & Sons has bought the Palgrave Brown timber processing site in Chorley out of administration, securing the future of 40 jobs. 11-Dec-2008 Getech Group has acquired Lisle Gravity, the US oil exploration mapping firm, for an initial £1.2m. 10-Dec-2008 Mitchell's Hotels & Inns has acquired York Brewery, the York-based brewery with 60 staff and four pubs. 10-Dec-2008 O&H Facilities, the Goole-based vehicle converter for the healthcare and disability markets with 160 staff, has undergone a management buy-out from Oughtred & Harrison. 10-Dec-2008 Jay-Be, the Dewsbury-based bed manufacturer, has been bought out of administration by a management team. 09-Dec-2008 CarCheckers, the Devon-based vehicle inspection company with 35 subcontract engineers throughout the country, has been acquired by DEKRA International for undisclosed terms. 09-Dec-2008 Orbis has acquired Electracade for an initial £2.6m, in order to expand its gaming software business. 08-Dec-2008 Le Frog has sold four restaurants in Ormskirk, Fullwood, Wigan and St Helens out of administration to a management team for undisclosed terms. 08-Dec-2008 Admiral Taverns has sold its 27 pubs in Scotland to the Iona Pub Partnership of Glasgow for undisclosed terms, leaving a chain of 2,300 outlets. 04-Dec-2008 Invisible Heating Systems, the Ullapool-based supplier of building heating and cooling systems, has been acquired by private equity firm Beltrae Partners. 02-Dec-2008 Rutherford Wilkinson, the Tyneside-based firm of 16 independent financial advisers, has been acquired by the Perspective Financial Group for undisclosed terms. 02-Dec-2008 Card Factory is to acquire almost 80 of the 280 Celebrations Group greetings card stores out of administration, securing the future of 500 jobs. 01-Dec-2008 Paper House Group has bought the greetings card division of London-based The Medici Society for undisclosed terms, increasing its Gloucester-based staff from 95 to 120. 01-Dec-2008 Cantono is to sell its Blue River Systems subsidiary and its managed services business to Xploite for £3m, with the transfer of 70 staff in London and West Drayton. 28-Nov-2008 Dudley Associates, the Lutterworth-based manufacturer of precision plastic mouldings with 29 staff, has been acquired by Peterstow Holdings of Swaziland for undisclosed terms. 28-Nov-2008 ADG Packaging Systems, the Kent-based supplier of powder packaging equipment with 30 staff, has been bought out of administration by GEA Process Engineering of Denmark, and will be rebranded as GEA Albro. 27-Nov-2008 Crawford Transport Services has sold its assets out of administration to Crawford Pallet Distribution, securing the future of 20 driving jobs in Tyne & Wear. 27-Nov-2008 Duffer of St George, the fashion brand, has been bought out of administration by a management team operating under the name of Nihoco 3493. 25-Nov-2008 First Luggage is to merge with Sports Express of the US to create a combined luggage transport group with sales of £3.4m. 24-Nov-2008 Payne Timber has been bought out of administration by Duchy Timber of Cornwall, securing 34 jobs at its timber operations in Ottery St Mary and Torquay. 20-Nov-2008 In House Group is to acquire a 75% stake in Breatheasy Finance, the home financing firm, for £0.2m. 19-Nov-2008 Activa Healthcare, the Burton-based supplier of wound-care products with 70 staff, has been acquired by Lohmann & Rauscher of Germany for undisclosed terms. 17-Nov-2008 Anglia Healthcare Systems, the Norwich-based provider of software and services to the NHS with about 50 staff, has been acquired by Sunquest Information Systems of the US. 14-Nov-2008 Parker Severn, the builders' merchant with branches in Nottingham and Somercotes, has been bought out of administration by Frank Key of Nottingham. 14-Nov-2008 Kinetic Technical, the Manchester-based engineering recruitment firm with 21 staff and annual turnover of £20m, has undergone a management buy-out. 13-Nov-2008 Network Data is to acquire Mortgage Broking Services, the Manchester-based mortgage broker, from Manchester Building Society for £2.5m. 13-Nov-2008 Bradshaw, Farnham & Lea has acquired the property management and auction operations of Liverpool-based Venmore Partnership for undisclosed terms. 12-Nov-2008 Aimimage has bought the assets of London-based camera hire firm Ice Film Equipment out of liquidation, securing seven jobs. 11-Nov-2008 Garner has acquired Norman Broadbent, including BNB Recruitment Consultancy, Bancomm and BNB Recruitment Overseas, for £5.5m. 11-Nov-2008 John Stephenson & Sons, the Lancashire-based drinks distributor with 25 staff and annual turnover of £10m, has been acquired by Wharton Wade Wines of Manchester. 11-Nov-2008 Arena International, the marketing services agency with offices in Disley and London, has been acquired by QobliQ for £2.8m. 11-Nov-2008 Stride Treglown of Bristol has merged with Tektus Architects of Bath to create a combined architectural group trading as Stride Treglown Tektus. 11-Nov-2008 GI Solutions Group, the Leicester-based direct marketing firm, has been acquired by private equity investor Grove Industries for undisclosed terms. 10-Nov-2008 Print Search, the Manchester-based printing firm with 34 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 07-Nov-2008 Krantech Holdings of Chesterfield has acquired Rotary Machining and Bessemer Precision Engineering of Sheffield, increasing its total workforce from 26 to 49. 07-Nov-2008 Freshbaked has merged with the Limegreentangerine marketing and branding agency, creating a combined Cardiff-based business services group with 43 staff. 06-Nov-2008 IPSO Ventures has acquired Cambridge Meditech, the owner of patented technology that detects infection in wounds, for under £0.1m. 05-Nov-2008 Global Armour, the Lisburn-based armour manufacturer with 45 staff, has been acquired by Amicus Capital Partners for undisclosed terms. 05-Nov-2008 Greenbank Materials Handling has acquired the industrial weighing division of Mansfield-based H&H Services for undisclosed terms. 05-Nov-2008 Ashberry Healthcare has acquired the Moorhouse Nursing Home in Hindhead, Surrey, for £3.9m, taking its chain of homes to eight. 04-Nov-2008 Burchell Edwards has been bought out of administration by a management team, securing 140 jobs at its Derby-based chain of 16 estate agency branches. 04-Nov-2008 Biogen UK has acquired Greenfinch, the Shropshire-based operator of an anaerobic digestion facility to treat municipal waste, creating a combined group called BiogenGreenfinch with 43 staff. 03-Nov-2008 Griffin Group is to acquire Alexander David Holdings, the stockbroker, in a £4.8m reverse takeover, and will then change its name to Alexander David Securities Group. 31-Oct-2008 Albatross Travel Group, the wholesale travel firm with about 100 staff at offices in Kent and Derbyshire, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 31-Oct-2008 Kellpak, the Glasgow-based packaging supplier with 26 staff, has been sold out of administration to a new company called W&M Watson Packaging. 30-Oct-2008 Norcot Engineering, the aircraft parts manufacturer with 82 staff in Ashton under Lyne and Bedford, has undergone a management buy-out backed by private equity firm Acorn Capital Partners. 28-Oct-2008 Ham Baker has acquired Adams of York, the water industry equipment supplier with 120 staff, for undisclosed terms. 28-Oct-2008 Jackson Keay has acquired APS Cellar Gas, the Southwell-based supplier of gas cylinders, for undisclosed terms. 28-Oct-2008 FMG Support of Huddersfield has sold its vehicle rental operation to Nexus Vehicle Rental of Leeds for undisclosed terms, but is also planning to create 100 jobs to provide national vehicle recovery services to the Highways Agency. 28-Oct-2008 Lawrence Scoffield, the Leeds-based financial planning and insurance firm, has undergone a management buy-out, and plans to increase its staff from 17 to 50 over the next five years. 27-Oct-2008 Abbey Protection is to acquire Accountax, the Milton Keynes-based accountancy, tax and employment law consultancy with 40 staff, for an initial £4.4m. 23-Oct-2008 Syntax, the Derby-based IT and technical recruitment consultancy, has merged with Arcanza IT Services of Derby and Software Training Services of Heanor. 22-Oct-2008 Saint Gobain Crystals is to sell its quartz products factory in Wallsend to Heraeus Quarzglas of Germany, securing 125 jobs, but a further 23 jobs in the industrial testing products department will be lost. 21-Oct-2008 Auto Assist of Hull has merged with RVM Assist of Leeds to create a combined vehicle accident management and claims handling group called RVM Auto Assist. 21-Oct-2008 Fuse8 has acquired Radiant, the Leeds-based public relations agency with four staff. 21-Oct-2008 Darnton Elgee has merged with Essex, Goodman & Suggitt to create a combined project management group with 87 staff at offices in North Yorkshire, London, Bristol and Warwickshire. 21-Oct-2008 Piano Logistics has bought Butler Piano Movers of Huntingdon out of voluntary liquidation for undisclosed terms. 21-Oct-2008 Sert UK has acquired M&S Toiletries, the Wakefield-based supplier of health and beauty products with 140 staff, from the Scottish & Midland Co-operative Society for undisclosed terms. 17-Oct-2008 CPM Group has acquired Hughes Concrete, the Leek-based concrete pipes manufacturer with about 50 staff, for undisclosed terms. 16-Oct-2008 WEC Group has acquired 5750 Components, the Knowsley-based laser engineering firm, for undisclosed terms, and will relocate its own laser division to a new 26,500 sq ft site in Darwen over the next few months. 16-Oct-2008 Online Travel Group has sold its World Travellers UK business out of administration to World Ski & Travel, while its insurance assets have been acquired by a former director. 16-Oct-2008 Reprographic Warehouse, the London-based digital printing company with 16 staff, has been acquired by American Reprographics Company. 15-Oct-2008 Les Knight Transport has been bought out of administration by Dodds Group, securing 30 jobs at its Faversham-based freight business. 15-Oct-2008 SBV Fabrications & Site Services, the Teesside-based steel company with 100 staff, has undergone a management buy-in. 14-Oct-2008 Foolproof has acquired Usability by Design, the London-based website design consultancy. 10-Oct-2008 MessageLabs, the US-based online messaging security company with offices in London and Gloucester, is to be acquired by Symantec for £397m. 09-Oct-2008 CG Rees, the Cardiff-based metals supplier, has undergone a £1.3m management buy-out backed by Finance Wales, and will now be renamed Fromstock. 09-Oct-2008 Premier Travel of Cambridge has acquired Travel Centre's seven travel agency outlets in Norwich and Dereham, taking its total chain to 29. 09-Oct-2008 Scotia Linen Services is to be sold out of administration by Tenon Recovery, securing the future of 76 jobs at its Aberdeen-based laundry and dry cleaning business. 08-Oct-2008 Bodycare Toiletries of Preston has been sold out of administration to a former management team for undisclosed terms, securing the future of 147 jobs. 08-Oct-2008 Infoterra of Leicester has acquired Imass, the Tyneside-based supplier of communication devices with 136 staff. 08-Oct-2008 Kofax has acquired OptiInvoice Digital Technology, the Swedish supplier of document processing software, for £1.6m. 07-Oct-2008 Applied4 Technology, the Leeds-based software firm, has been acquired RiskMetrics Group of the US for undisclosed terms. 07-Oct-2008 Watson Laurie has merged with Vinden Partnership, the Bolton-based provider of mediation services to the construction sector with 40 staff. 07-Oct-2008 Calder Colours, the Ashby-based craft materials manufacturer with 30 staff, has been bought out of administration by its managing director for undisclosed terms. 07-Oct-2008 Scott Lister Solicitors of Shrewsbury has merged with Linder Myers Solicitors, the Manchester-based law firm with more than 70 fee earners. 07-Oct-2008 Ingram Care Services has sold its business and assets out of administration to Positive Life Choices of South Shields, securing then future of 15 jobs at its Gateshead-based care business. 06-Oct-2008 Clearwater Collection has merged with Reva Industries of Hull, securing the future of about 60 jobs at its Bradford-based bath manufacturing business. 06-Oct-2008 Metropress, the publisher of the Antiques Trade Gazette, has undergone a £9m management buy-out backed by Matrix Private Equity. 06-Oct-2008 Dsicmm has acquired the direct communications business division of Dataforce for undisclosed terms, including print and polywrapping assets in Milton Keynes. 03-Oct-2008 Camvac, the Thetford-based plastic packaging company with 114 staff, has been acquired by GIL Investments for undisclosed terms. 03-Oct-2008 Carter & Co has merged with Towlers to create a combined commercial surveying and property consultancy in Leeds with 50 staff. 03-Oct-2008 Carrier, the Cheadle Royal-based luxury tour operator with 84 staff, has been acquired by Kuoni of Switzerland for more than £30m. 03-Oct-2008 Edmund Bell, the Bradford-based supplier of fabrics to hospitals and universities, has been acquired by Redwood Distribution of Skelmersdale, creating a combined group with 125 staff. 03-Oct-2008 Norton & Townsend, the London-based network of bespoke tailors, has been bought out of administration by Salts of Saltaire for undisclosed terms. 30-Sep-2008 Bonds has acquired Precision Products (Cumberland), the Alston-based steel castings manufacturer, for undisclosed terms, securing the future of 65 jobs. 29-Sep-2008 Collections Group has acquired Frank Bird, the operator of menswear stores in Barnsley and Wakefield with 23 buying and sales staff, for undisclosed terms. 29-Sep-2008 Folder Media has acquired Fun Radio, the children's broadcaster, for undisclosed terms. 25-Sep-2008 Griffiths & Armour is to sell its financial services division to Charles Stanley, with the transfer of 35 Liverpool-based staff. 25-Sep-2008 CPM Group has acquired TRO, the events agency with 150 staff in Norwich and Wymondham, for undisclosed terms. 25-Sep-2008 Archbold Logistics has acquired Direct Pallet Services, the Nuneaton-based transport firm with 52 staff and 30 vehicles. 25-Sep-2008 Ultima Networks has acquired JCS for £0.3m, in order to expand its Cognito legal software subsidiary. 24-Sep-2008 Home Insulation Services, the Preston-based heating supplier, is to be taken over by its 200-strong workforce over the next 12 months, and the buy-out is being supported by the Baxi Partnership. 24-Sep-2008 Beazley is to acquire Momentum Underwriting Management, the insurance agency, for up to £21m. 23-Sep-2008 J&J Denholm of Peterhead is to merge with Alexander Buchan and Pelagic Freezing to create a new fish processing firm with 250 staff called Denholm Seafoods. 22-Sep-2008 Pyramid Products, the Nottinghamshire-based camping products manufacturer, has been acquired by Group Novo for undisclosed terms. 22-Sep-2008 Optical Fibres, the Morecambe-based cabling systems installation firm, has been acquired by Optech Fibres of Barrow-in-Furness. 19-Sep-2008 VCS Timeless, the French retail software firm with 145 staff and an office in Milton Keynes, is to be sold by Christie Group to Cegid for £3m. 18-Sep-2008 Kelman, the Lisburn-based power services firm with 300 staff, has been acquired by GE Energy of the US for undisclosed terms. 18-Sep-2008 Lyceum Capital has acquired Carewatch, the in-home care division of Nestor Healthcare with 125 franchised offices, for £37m. 16-Sep-2008 Loch Duart has acquired Salar Smokehouse, the Hebridean fish processing firm. 16-Sep-2008 Armit, the London-based wine merchant, has been acquired by Baarsma of the Netherlands. 15-Sep-2008 Topaz Computer Systems has been acquired by Leicester-based Safe Computing, creating a combined software development group with 120 staff. 12-Sep-2008 Mills Manufacturing Technology, the Leamington-based machine tool distributor with 60 staff, has undergone a £10m management buy-out backed by Barclays Leveraged Finance. 10-Sep-2008 Stroud Office Interiors, the Gloucestershire-based office fit-out firm with 19 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 10-Sep-2008 BevEx, the Coalville-based supplier of pub equipment with 12 staff, has been acquired by L'Isolante K-Flex of Italy for undisclosed terms. 09-Sep-2008 Hiflex Fluidpower has sold its hose distribution and service assets out of administration to BMI Hose Europe, including 125 staff at 14 depots nationwide. 09-Sep-2008 LateRooms has acquired Hotels-London.co.uk, the London-based hotel booking agency, for undisclosed terms. 08-Sep-2008 Perspektiv has acquired the web development operations of Nottingham-based IT firm Presence for undisclosed terms. 08-Sep-2008 Crosby Asset Management is to sell the former Forsyth Partners international funds research and ratings business to Old Broad Street Research for a nominal initial sum. 05-Sep-2008 Lythgoe Motor Group, the Bolton-based chain of five car dealerships with 150 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 05-Sep-2008 Autumn Care Group has sold three care homes in County Durham and South Tyneside to Doson of Kent for £5m, with the transfer of 100 staff. 04-Sep-2008 Fox Murphy, the Norwich-based marketing agency with 63 staff, has undergone a management buy-out and is now trading as Balloon Dog. 04-Sep-2008 GT News, the chain of convenience stores in South Yorkshire and the East Midlands, has undergone a management buy-out. 04-Sep-2008 Withy King has merged with Marshall & Galpin of Oxford to create a combined law firm with 340 staff. 04-Sep-2008 Sky High has acquired Halifax Computer Services, the West Yorkshire-based data processing firm, for £0.2m. 03-Sep-2008 Talent Group is to acquire KMB Productions, the Hampshire-based TV production company, and will rebrand it as Talent South. 03-Sep-2008 Southern Brick has been bought out of administration by Rayners Homes, but the Abingdon branch has closed with the loss of 12 jobs. 03-Sep-2008 E2V Technologies is to acquire QP Semiconductor, the US supplier of semiconductor components with 90 staff, for an initial £36m. 02-Sep-2008 FLB, the Cheltenham-based packaging and branding consultancy, has undergone a management buy-out. 02-Sep-2008 Change Capital Partners has sold Jil Sander, the fashion label with 61 stores worldwide, to Onward Holdings of Japan for £135m. 02-Sep-2008 PCC, the plastic card manufacturer with sites in Colchester and Lancashire, has been acquired by CPI Card Group of the US. 01-Sep-2008 BHM Health Group, the Bridlington-based supplier of vitamins and supplements with 41 staff, has been sold out of administration by BDO Stoy Hayward to local firms B-Bio and Sharplook. 01-Sep-2008 Knowles Surfacing, the Ellesmere Port-based road surfacing firm with 32 staff, has undergone a management buy-in for undisclosed terms. 28-Aug-2008 Countrywide Residential Lettings has acquired Specialist Lettings Management, the chain of nine letting agencies in Blackpool, Bolton, Brighouse, Doncaster, Hull, Lincoln, Southport, Stockton and Sunderland. 28-Aug-2008 Les Engineering, the Grimsby-based project management and fabrication company with 700 staff, has been acquired by Jacobs Engineering Group of the US for undisclosed terms. 28-Aug-2008 Kelan Circuits has acquired the assets of MI Watson, the Leicestershire-based supplier of electric motor components, for undisclosed terms. 27-Aug-2008 BPMG, the Buckinghamshire-based printing firm, has been sold out of administration by Vantis to the Duncan Print Group. 25-Aug-2008 Enzone Plastics has expanded its Bilston-based polyurethane mouldings business with the acquisition of Styleguard for undisclosed terms. 22-Aug-2008 Langholm Dyeing Company has been bought out of administration by a new company called FTS, creating jobs for 15 former staff at the Dumfriesshire-based textiles factory. 21-Aug-2008 Anaco Systems, the Wirral-based manufacturer of aluminium building facades, doors and windows with 70 staff, has undergone a £1.8m partial management buy-out. 21-Aug-2008 Galloway Group, the ventilation ductwork contractor with 300 staff in Dewsbury, Dundee and London, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 21-Aug-2008 Centristic, the South Devon-based engineering firm with 30 staff, has been acquired by Waldegrave of Twickenham for undisclosed terms. 21-Aug-2008 Carterbar has acquired Graeme Watson Independent Financial Advisers of Chopwell, and is now seeking further acquisitions in Tyne & Wear. 20-Aug-2008 Datumpress, the Hatfield-based printing firm with 13 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 19-Aug-2008 Raiseprint has merged with Millprint to create a combined Keighley-based printing group with 34 staff and annual turnover of £2.6m. 18-Aug-2008 Heavylift Technical Services, the Stansted-based aircraft engineering services firm trading as HTS Worldwide, has undergone a management buy-out. 15-Aug-2008 Mfonex is to transfer its head office from Oxfordshire to West Yorkshire following the acquisition of Cleckheaton-based Insight Marketing and Inspire Telecom for undisclosed terms. 14-Aug-2008 Endeavors, the software firm with 54 staff in North Yorkshire and the US, has been sold out of administration by KPMG to a new company called Acresail. 14-Aug-2008 Prestige Industrial, the Blackburn-based baking equipment manufacturer with 103 staff, has been bought out of administration by Fluorocarbon Holdings. 13-Aug-2008 Rygor Commercials, the chain of Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle dealerships in London, Berkshire and Wiltshire, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 12-Aug-2008 Total Laminate Systems, the Thame-based panelling manufacturer, has undergone a £1.7m management buy-out. 12-Aug-2008 JSM Property has acquired Mitchells Residential of Norwich and now has almost 4,000 residential properties under management in East Anglia. 08-Aug-2008 Oddbins, the chain of 150 off-licence stores, has been sold by Castel Freres of France to a group led by the son of its former owner for undisclosed terms. 08-Aug-2008 Hilden Manufacturing, the Accrington-based textile manufacturer, has been bought out of administration by Vision Support Services, saving about 40 jobs. 05-Aug-2008 Barbox, the online supplier to the licensed trade, has been acquired by Amphire, creating a combined group with annual food and drink orders of more than £1bn. 05-Aug-2008 Glazewing, the Norfolk-based metal recycling firm with 70 staff, has undergone a management buy-in for undisclosed terms. 04-Aug-2008 HW Coates has bought McLellan's Transport out of administration, including a warehouse in Stepps, near Glasgow, and 70 staff. 04-Aug-2008 ESP Plastics, the County Durham-based manufacturer of plastic moulded coverings for car parts with 18 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for almost £1m. 31-Jul-2008 Essay Print, the Leeds-based printing firm with 20 staff, has been bought out of administration by Collective UK. 30-Jul-2008 Silvergate Plastics, the Wrexham-based plastics manufacturer with 54 staff, has undergone a £1.2m management buy-out from the Vita Group. 30-Jul-2008 Uplands Mobiles, the Swansea-based mobile communications company with 50 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 30-Jul-2008 Ridge has acquired Walfords, the quantity surveyor with 30 staff in Liverpool, Edinburgh and Milton Keynes, for undisclosed terms. 30-Jul-2008 Stonegate, the Lacock-based egg producer with 500 staff at sites in Lincolnshire, Cornwall and elsewhere, has undergone a management buy-out. 30-Jul-2008 PSL Worldwide, the Washington-based supplier of pharmaceutical, beverage and dairy plants with 28 staff, has merged with Prelude Engineering of Berkshire, creating a new group called PSL Prelude. 30-Jul-2008 DigiPoS Store Solutions has sold Vista Support Services, the Cardiff-based provider of EpoS support and maintenance services with 160 staff, to a management buy-out. 25-Jul-2008 WN Lindsay has acquired the Scottish grain drying and storage operations of Glencore Grain for £3m, including a 70,000t malting barley plant at Stracathro, Brechin. 25-Jul-2008 Nekem Partnership, the Hull-based glass packaging supplier, has been acquired by Lendlock of Chester for undisclosed terms, creating a combined group with 250 staff in Chester, Bootle, Burnley, Dorset and Hull. 24-Jul-2008 Xpertise Group is to acquire the IT training division of Parity for £4.8m, creating a combined group of training centres in London, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, the Thames Valley and the Midlands. 24-Jul-2008 Edward Robinson & Co has acquired Westmore Brennand of Chester, creating a combined accountancy group with five partners and 19 fee earners. 24-Jul-2008 Merseyside Metalworks, the Liverpool-based manufacturer of ductwork for heating and ventilation systems with 120 staff, has undergone a £0.9m management buy-out with funding from Alliance Fund Managers. 24-Jul-2008 Wright Printing Services, the Rotherham-based printing firm with 42 staff, has undergone a management buy-in for undisclosed terms. 22-Jul-2008 Tipografic Print Solutions has bought Buckleys Print & Packaging of Stockport out of administration, securing the future of 110 jobs. 21-Jul-2008 Avon Printing Services, the Melksham-based lithographic and digital printing firm, has been acquired by Avon Print for undisclosed terms. 18-Jul-2008 Pulman of Durham has acquired Mill Garages, the Sunderland-based VW car dealership, increasing its workforce to 120. 16-Jul-2008 Sheppee International, the York-based supplier of glass handling equipment with 34 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 15-Jul-2008 Phoenix Childcare of Tiverton has acquired the Oakwood Court residential care unit in Dawlish and the Eldra Court care home in Teignmouth for £3.6m. 10-Jul-2008 GK Raw & Co, the Harrogate-based joinery and building firm with 30 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 09-Jul-2008 Aldgate Capital is to acquire 31 Shipleys gaming machine arcades, through the £25m acquisition of HJM Caterers and E&J Hall Investments. 08-Jul-2008 Lakeland Smolt has acquired two fish farms at Armaddy and Port Na Gile in Argyll from Lighthouse Caledonia for £2.5m. 07-Jul-2008 Arada has acquired Villager Stoves, the Axminster-based fire manufacturer with 30 staff, and will relocate the business to its site in Bridport next year. 07-Jul-2008 Berties, the Elland-based catering and banqueting firm, has undergone a management buy-in. 07-Jul-2008 Harry Irving & Co, the Bootle-based pet products supplier, has been bought out of administration by Petlife Ventures. 04-Jul-2008 MarineTrack, the West Sussex-based telematics firm with 12 staff, is to be acquired by XSN in a £1.5m reverse takeover. 04-Jul-2008 Gardner Energy Management, the Bristol-based steam traps manufacturer, has been acquired by Thermal Energy International of Canada for £2.7m. 04-Jul-2008 Framlingham Farmers of Suffolk has merged with Atlas Agriculture, creating a combined farming operation called AtlasFram Group with annual sales of more than £100m. 03-Jul-2008 Carco Group has acquired Bryan Brothers, the Bristol-based Citroen car dealership with 82 staff, for undisclosed terms. 03-Jul-2008 FSG Security has acquired Guardian Facilities for an initial £1.2m, in order to expand its guarding services, event management and CCTV operations in London and the South East. 02-Jul-2008 Peter Brotherhood, the turbine manufacturer with 300 staff in Peterborough, has been acquired by Dresser-Rand of the US for £31m. 02-Jul-2008 Chem Resist, the Dewsbury-based manufacturer of thermoplastic storage tanks with about 40 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 02-Jul-2008 Cartographical Surveys, the Worcester-based provider of topographical and aerial surveying services, has been acquired by 40Seven of Leeds for undisclosed terms. 02-Jul-2008 Caterplus Services of Watford has acquired Hospitality Catering Services of Gateshead for undisclosed terms, creating a combined catering group with more than 1,600 staff working at 350 sites across the country. 01-Jul-2008 Spiro-Gills, the Stafford-based engine cooler manufacturer with 55 staff, has been bought out of administration by a management team for £1.5m. 01-Jul-2008 Universal Components has acquired Pollard Beaumont, the commercial vehicle parts wholesaler with sites in Sheffield, Haslingden and Trafford Park, for undisclosed terms. 01-Jul-2008 Parripak has acquired Solway Veg, the Gretna-based supplier of prepared vegetables. 01-Jul-2008 Ashworth Preece of Manchester has acquired Copps Logistics of Salisbury for undisclosed terms. 30-Jun-2008 Happit, the Dunfermline-based discount clothing retailer, has been bought out of administration by 2nd Thoughts, securing the future of 233 jobs at 32 stores. 27-Jun-2008 Gunns Transport, the Erith-based haulage firm with 100 trucks, has undergone a £3.5m management buy-out backed by Lloyds TSB. 27-Jun-2008 Apollo Sheeters, the Bedford-based supplier of sheeting equipment for paper and board, is to be acquired by MarquipWardUnited of the US for undisclosed terms. 26-Jun-2008 WM Lawrence & Sons, the Chorley-based textiles manufacturer, has been acquired by Apex Textiles of Haslingden. 25-Jun-2008 Grahame Stowe Bateson has acquired Robert Moore Culleton, the Leeds-based law firm with six staff. 24-Jun-2008 Southern & Redfern of Bradford has merged with Watsons Building Services of Keighley, creating a combined building services group called Novitas with more than 200 staff. 24-Jun-2008 Plumbstop has acquired Mannington Supplies, the supplier of plumbing products with branches in Swindon and Weston-super-Mare, taking its total chain to nine. 24-Jun-2008 Resource Team, the Manchester-based online customer review firm, has undergone a management buy-in backed by Ingenious Media Active Capital. 24-Jun-2008 Fastnet, the Mitcham-based print finishing firm with 34 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 23-Jun-2008 Lakeland Timber Framed Homes is to sell its assets to Northumberland-based Zero Carbon Group, with the re-employment of most of the 15 staff at its housing components factory. 20-Jun-2008 Euromec, the Market Harborough-based suppler of cleaning machines, has been bought out of administration by one of its directors, securing 19 of the 23 jobs. 20-Jun-2008 Arran Brewery has been bought out of administration by Marketing Management Services International for undisclosed terms. 20-Jun-2008 STM Group is to acquire St George Financial Services, the Jersey-based corporate and trustee service provider, for up to £0.6m. 19-Jun-2008 Mincoffs is to merge with Jacksons of Teesside to create a combined commercial law firm called Mincoff Jacksons with 160 staff. 19-Jun-2008 Rock Asphalte, the roofing and structural waterproofing contractor with sites in London and Bedfordshire, has undergone a £16m management buy-out backed by private equity firm NBGI. 19-Jun-2008 Keltbray Hunt has acquired Barham Waste Services, the Dagenham-based waste recycling firm, for undisclosed terms, and will now trade as Hunts Waste. 18-Jun-2008 AT Group, the Haydock-based electrical engineering company with 300 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 18-Jun-2008 CMD, the Rotherham-based cable management systems firm with 150 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by RBS Corporate. 17-Jun-2008 TravelJigsaw, the Manchester-based car hire firm, is to be acquired by ISIS Private Equity for about £25m. 16-Jun-2008 Novatec, the Kent-based window blind manufacturer with 30 staff, has undergone a management buy-out from parent company Silent Gliss. 16-Jun-2008 Miller Graphics has acquired Corniche Fine Arts, the Yorkshire-based printing firm, for undisclosed terms. 13-Jun-2008 Imperial Multipart, the Chorley-based supplier of vehicle components with more than 200 staff, has undergone a £20m management buy-out. 13-Jun-2008 Sylmar Technology, the Newport Pagnell-based supplier of kitchen work surfaces with 40 staff at a factory in Somercotes, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Tenon. 13-Jun-2008 Inisoft, the Glasgow-based software company with 20 staff, has been acquired by the Response call centre division of Murray International for undisclosed terms. 12-Jun-2008 Multi-lab has acquired the Heraeus Quartztech quartz glass factory in East Kilbride, with the transfer of 38 staff. 10-Jun-2008 Turner Group has acquired TCL Transport Engineers, the Leeds-based manufacturer of stainless steel tankers, and sister company QSS for undisclosed terms. 10-Jun-2008 Partnership Assurance, the enhanced annuities specialist, is to be acquired by private equity firm Cinven for £158m. 10-Jun-2008 Rubis is to acquire Fuel Supplies, the Channel Islands-based fuel distributor, from Shell Distributors UK for £20m. 06-Jun-2008 Herron Fisher has sold APW Packaging, the Bristol-based provider of contract workers to the packaging sector with 34 staff, out of administration to a new company called All Packaging Work. 05-Jun-2008 British International has sold Veritair Aviation, the provider of helicopter and pilot services, and Cardiff Heliport to a management buy-out. 05-Jun-2008 Tolwood Technologies has sold its Newton Aycliffe-based car parts manufacturing business out of administration to a new company called PC Automotive, securing the future of 150 jobs. 05-Jun-2008 Indmar, the Wigan-based sheet metal manufacturer with 70 staff, has been bought out of administration by Kanban Group of Lancaster for £0.25m. 05-Jun-2008 Intermet Refractory Products, the South Yorkshire-based metal castings supplier with 50 staff, has been acquired by the owner of Sheffield Refractories for undisclosed terms. 05-Jun-2008 Alphasteel, the Newport-based steel plant, is to be bought out of administration by Libala of Russia for more than £50m. 05-Jun-2008 G4S has acquired Touchcom, the US supplier of electronic security systems, for up to £29m. 05-Jun-2008 PSCA International, the magazine publisher with annual turnover of £12m and offices in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Royal Bank of Scotland. 04-Jun-2008 Town & Country Broadcasting has acquired Xfm South Wales, the Cardiff-based radio station with 30 staff, and it will be rebranded as Nation Radio. 03-Jun-2008 McKean Group, the Glasgow-based construction firm with 250 staff, has undergone a £1m management buy-out. 03-Jun-2008 Hjaltland Seafarms has acquired Collarfirth Salmon, the Shetland-based salmon farmer. 03-Jun-2008 LGV Capital is to acquire the hospitality division of SandpiperCI for about £70m, including 65 pubs on the Channel Islands and the Jersey Brewery. 02-Jun-2008 Europe Steel, the London-based steel products trader, is to be acquired by FMC for £6.4m. 30-May-2008 Ollerenshaw Solicitors has merged with Ian Burr & Co to create a combined Leamington Spa-based law firm with 35 staff. 30-May-2008 St George Healthcare, the Cheshire-based provider of mental health care services, has undergone a management buy-out that will help fund a new venture at All Saints Hospital in Oldham. 30-May-2008 Riverside Packaging Printers of Somerset has been bought out of administration by a new company called Riverside Flexible Packaging, securing the future of 59 jobs. 29-May-2008 WTL International, the Macclesfield-based manufacturer of wood flours with 45 staff, has been bought out of administration by Boden & Davies of Manchester for undisclosed terms. 29-May-2008 Bernard Kaymar, the Preston-based screen and lithographic printing firm with 19 staff, has been acquired by Manchester-based Masterobjective. 29-May-2008 London Capital Group Holdings has acquired FuturesBetting, the Gibraltar-based financial spread betting firm, for up to £0.4m. 28-May-2008 Stroud Metal Company has acquired Platform Pressings, the London-based components manufacturer, increasing its workforce from 45 to 60. 28-May-2008 Brasier Harris has merged with Freeth Melhuish to create a combined commercial property agency with 47 staff in Hemel Hempstead, Watford, Welwyn Garden City, London and Tunbridge Wells. 27-May-2008 Vans Direct, the South Wales-based supplier of new and used vans with 150 staff, has undergone a management buy-in. 26-May-2008 Vanco, the virtual telecoms operator with 700 staff, is to be acquired by Reliance Communications of India for undisclosed terms, but the US division will be sold separately. 26-May-2008 Deuxmil Marine, the London-based yachting services firm, is to acquire broker YCO in a £12m reverse takeover. 26-May-2008 Noble has acquired Clear Capital, the London-based equity research firm with about 30 analysts, for undisclosed terms. 26-May-2008 Rock Group, the Warwick-based computer supplier with 25 staff, has been bought out of administration by Stone Group of Staffordshire for undisclosed terms. 23-May-2008 North East Wales NHS Trust is to merge with the Conwy and Denbighshire trust in July, creating a new North Wales NHS Trust with more than 11,000 staff. 23-May-2008 Country Fresh Produce of Norfolk has bought the fresh-cut herbs business of Diss-based D Laurie & Sons. 23-May-2008 Hi-Tech Coatings, the Aylesbury-based supplier of coatings to the printing industry, has been acquired by Heidelberg of Germany for undisclosed terms. 20-May-2008 Group Lotus has acquired Holden Lightweight Structures, the Worcester-based manufacturer of aluminium and composite automotive components, creating an enlarged division with 120 staff called Lotus Lightweight Structures. 20-May-2008 Etrinsic, the Solihull-based print management firm, has been acquired by InnerWorkings of the US. 14-May-2008 Beta Engineering Services, the Rotherham-based precision components manufacturer, has undergone a management buy-out. 14-May-2008 Scalable Software, the supplier of IT value-management products with offices in Surrey and the US, has undergone a management buy-out. 14-May-2008 OpSec Security Group has acquired P4M Partners 4 Management, the German provider of online brand protection services with 16 staff, for up to £8m. 13-May-2008 Paintbox, the automotive painting company with 300 staff in Birmingham, Banbury and Brackley, has undergone a management buy-out from ADAC for undisclosed terms. 13-May-2008 Aardvark Concrete has bought the ready-mix concrete division of Cheshire Concrete Products, including sites in Chester, Frodsham and Stoke. 13-May-2008 Fanshawe Lofts, the corporate recovery and insolvency firm with offices in Southampton and Bath, has been acquired by Begbies Traynor for undisclosed terms. 13-May-2008 MGP Chromocraft, the Camberley-based commercial printing firm, has been bought out of administration by Gaffyne & Browne. 12-May-2008 Creative Lynx, the Manchester-based design and marketing agency with 40 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 12-May-2008 Clear Packaging, the Coventry-based plastic carton manufacturer with 25 staff, has been acquired by Staeger Group of Switzerland. 09-May-2008 Multipart Fleetserve, the Chorley-based supplier of spare parts for airport vehicles with 30 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 09-May-2008 Doodson Broking Group has acquired Cardwell & Drew and JE Mottram of Wilmslow for undisclosed terms. 09-May-2008 Wright Machinery, the Middlesex-based packaging equipment manufacturer, has merged with PPM Technologies of the US. 08-May-2008 Simpson & Gregg, the North Tyneside-based plumbing and electrical firm with 120 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 08-May-2008 Ampersand Care has acquired the Swinton Hall and Shawe House nursing homes in Greater Manchester. 08-May-2008 Dream Lodge Group has acquired Woodlands Holiday Village at New Quay, Ceredigion, and will invest £20m in the redevelopment of the site. 08-May-2008 Contemplation Group has acquired Denehurst, the Hampshire-based chain of three learning disability homes, for undisclosed terms. 07-May-2008 Meat Express has been bought out of administration by its former management for undisclosed terms, securing the future of ten jobs at its meat processing business in Newton Aycliffe. 06-May-2008 Berkmann Wine Cellars has acquired Vinoceros, the Redruth-based wine distributor, for undisclosed terms. 05-May-2008 Manby Steward Bowdler is to merge with FBC to create a combined West Midlands law firm called FBC Manby Bowdler, with more than 300 staff. 02-May-2008 Brownhills Motorhomes, the motorhomes supplier with 365 staff at depots in Newark, Preston, Durham, Swindon and Canterbury, has undergone a £46m management buy-out. 02-May-2008 Sarian Systems, the Ilkley-based electronic communications manufacturer, has been acquired by Digi International of the US for £15m. 01-May-2008 Ideal Bathrooms has acquired Inline Distribution, the Glasgow-based bathroom products distributor. 01-May-2008 InterCity Group, the Manchester-based cleaning contractor with 700 staff, has been acquired by LPM of London for an estimated £5m. 30-Apr-2008 John Thompson & Sons of Belfast is to acquire AB Agri, the Lisburn-based animal feeds firm with 60 staff, for undisclosed terms. 30-Apr-2008 Denmans Facilities Maintenance has been bought out of administration by Project First Facilities Maintenance, securing the future of 180 jobs at its refrigeration, plumbing and electrical services business in Reigate. 29-Apr-2008 Marubeni Auto Investment has acquired Norton Way Motors, the operator of Honda, Peugeot and Mazda car dealerships in the South East, taking its total network to 21. 29-Apr-2008 SME Insurance Services, the Leeds-based insurance broker with 60 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 29-Apr-2008 Stiller Group has acquired James Durrans Transport, the South Yorkshire-based bulk powder transport division of James Durrans & Sons. 29-Apr-2008 Oran Waste UK, the Stirling-based waste recycling firm with 11 depots, has been acquired by Response Group of Ireland for undisclosed terms. 29-Apr-2008 Interclean, the Wearside-based valeting company that services 200 car dealerships across the country, has undergone a management buy-out. 28-Apr-2008 Derek Walmsley & Co, the Sheffield-based cutting tools distributor with 35 staff, has been acquired by Unimerco of Denmark. 28-Apr-2008 Thomas Fish has been bought out of administration by Chek Whyte, securing the future of at least 60 jobs at the Nottingham-based construction firm. 28-Apr-2008 Warrant Group, the Liverpool-based freight forwarding company with 86 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Royal Bank of Scotland. 25-Apr-2008 Massive Pub Company is to sell 33 pubs out of administration to Bridgehouse Capital for an estimated £8m. 24-Apr-2008 TAL Logistics has acquired Phillips (Seahouses), the Northumberland-based haulier with 13 vehicles, as part of a strategy to double in size over the next 18 months. 24-Apr-2008 Promedics, the orthopaedics products manufacturer with more than 140 staff in Blackburn and Port Glasgow, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 23-Apr-2008 Downhole Products, the Portlethen-based oilfield equipment firm with 40 staff, has been acquired by Varel International Energy Services of the US for undisclosed terms. 23-Apr-2008 Capital Ideas Financial Publishing is to buy the wealth management magazine titles of Charterhouse Communications out of administration for £0.2m. 22-Apr-2008 Vista Group, the Merseyside-based door manufacturer with 86 staff, has been acquired by a new company called Purple Spot for £4m. 22-Apr-2008 Leach Rhodes Walker, the Manchester-based architectural firm with 125 staff, has undergone a management buy-out from Erinaceous. 22-Apr-2008 Masternaut Three X has acquired ICM Business Solutions, the Hull-based software supplier, increasing its annual turnover to about £22m. 21-Apr-2008 Fuelcard Company UK of Knaresborough has acquired Abbey Fuelcards for undisclosed terms, and the Abbey Fuelcards operation in Oxford will close with the loss of up to 40 jobs. 21-Apr-2008 Omega Data Services, the Aberdeen-based supplier of downhole drilling products with 12 staff, has been acquired by the recently-formed Reservoir Group of Whitecairns. 21-Apr-2008 Pacific Direct, the Bedford-based beauty products distributor, has been acquired by private equity firm Primary Capital for £20m. 21-Apr-2008 Hanworth Laboratories has acquired a 75% stake in Surefil Beauty Products, the St Helens-based cosmetics company with 100 staff, for £1.5m. 17-Apr-2008 Somar International, the Truro-based energy-saving equipment distributor with 28 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 17-Apr-2008 ECM Delivery Vehicle Service, the Cumbria-based car transporter with 20 depots nationwide, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Yorkshire Bank. 17-Apr-2008 Amco Corporation of Wakefield has sold four companies with 800 staff to a management team backed by private equity firm Endless for up to £9.4m, including Amalgamated Construction, Amco Drilling, Amco Plastics and Amco Developments. 16-Apr-2008 Konica Minolta Business Solutions has acquired Ideal Reprographics Eastern, the Basildon-based copier distributor. 16-Apr-2008 Owen Pugh has acquired Graydon Dawson, the Tyneside-based construction company with 50 staff, for undisclosed terms. 16-Apr-2008 Kudos Shower Products, the Kendal-based bathroom equipment manufacturer with 84 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by BTG McInnes Corporate Finance. 16-Apr-2008 The Consortium, the Trowbridge-based educational supplies mail order firm with 240 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Royal Bank of Scotland. 16-Apr-2008 BWB, the structural engineering firm with 250 staff in Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 16-Apr-2008 Straits Trading, the Accrington-based giftware distributor with 27 staff, has undergone a £2.3m management buy-out. 14-Apr-2008 Bullock, the Walsall-based contractor with offices in Altrincham, Bradford and Mansfield, has been acquired by Lloyds Development Capital for about £100m. 14-Apr-2008 Solicitors Own Software, the Bath-based software developer with 37 staff, has undergone a management buy-out. 11-Apr-2008 Xafinity has acquired Hazell Carr, the pensions consultancy with about 400 staff in Reading, Cardiff and Stirling, for undisclosed terms. 10-Apr-2008 Jim Brackenridge Transport, the provider of haulage services with 120 staff at depots in Aberdeen, Cumbernauld, Inverness, Kirkwall and Lerwick, has been acquired by Inchmuir for undisclosed terms. 10-Apr-2008 Black & Lizars, the Scottish chain of 25 opticians with 255 staff, has been sold to an investment consortium advised by Dundas & Wilson for £20m. 10-Apr-2008 Longwood Joinery, the Wetherby-based joinery firm with 28 staff and annual turnover of £1.8m, has undergone a management buy-out. 10-Apr-2008 Cohn & Wolfe has acquired a majority stake in AxiCom, the London-based pan-European public relations agency with 82 staff. 09-Apr-2008 Aearo Technologies, the US-based safety equipment manufacturer with 150 staff in Cheshire, has been acquired by 3M for £600m. 09-Apr-2008 Epsilon Test Services, the Gloucester-based electric safety firm with 180 staff, has been acquired by PHS Group for undisclosed terms. 09-Apr-2008 Edgewest Plastics, the Cheltenham-based plastics firm with 30 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Lloyds TSB. 09-Apr-2008 Summit Medical, the Gloucestershire-based medical kit manufacturer with 140 staff, has undergone a £36m management buy-out backed by venture capital firm Riverside. 09-Apr-2008 Cardif Pinnacle has acquired Warranty Direct, the Reading-based finance company with 40 staff, for undisclosed terms. 09-Apr-2008 Chang, the Stockport-based insurance claims company that trades as Call 24/7, Lawcall Direct and Claim 24/7, has been acquired by WNS (Holdings) of India for up to £9.6m. 09-Apr-2008 SA Trucks, the Bristol-based truck dealership with 128 staff, has been acquired by MAN in a multi-million pound deal. 08-Apr-2008 Catalyst Corporate Finance has advised on the £28m management buy-out of Stone Group, the Staffordshire-based IT services firm with almost 200 staff. 08-Apr-2008 JD Plastics & Rooflines, the Bishop Auckland-based roofing contractor with 55 staff, has been acquired by Key Capital Partners for £3.2m. 08-Apr-2008 YFM Group, the Leeds-based venture capital firm with nine offices, has been acquired by GLE Group for undisclosed terms. 07-Apr-2008 SMD Hydrovision, the Tyneside-based subsea vehicle maker with 135 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Inflexion. 07-Apr-2008 Rema Tip Top has acquired Ace Conveyor Equipment, the Doncaster-based conveyor belt supplier with 115 staff, for undisclosed terms. 07-Apr-2008 Speyside Cooperage, the manufacturer of oak casks for whisky with 57 staff at plants in Aberlour and Broxburn, has been acquired by Francois Freres of France for about £8m. 07-Apr-2008 Zetex, the Oldham-based semiconductor supplier with 450 staff, is to be acquired by Diodes of the US for £89m. 07-Apr-2008 Coffee Nation, the network of vending machines with 550 sites nationwide, has undergone a management buy-out backed by private equity firm Milestone Capital. 04-Apr-2008 Setten & Durward has been bought out of administration by Zcom, securing the future of 150 jobs at its stationery manufacturing business in Llandrindod Wells. 04-Apr-2008 ARR Craib, the Aberdeen-based haulage firm with 360 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 04-Apr-2008 Burns-Anderson, the Bristol-based financial advice company with about 80 staff, has been acquired by The Money Portal of London for £14m. 04-Apr-2008 KDC Contractors, the Manchester-based demolition firm with about 100 staff, has been undergone a £12m management buy-out backed by Barclays Ventures and YFM Private Equity. 04-Apr-2008 Hitchens is to acquire Wallgate Services, the Reading-based retail outsourcing firm, for £8.7m. 03-Apr-2008 Patrick Parsons, the Tyneside-based consulting engineer with 20 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by the Co-operative Bank and Evolve Finance. 03-Apr-2008 Arthur Brett & Son, the Norwich-based furniture manufacturer, has been bought out of administration by McLaren Interiors for undisclosed terms. 03-Apr-2008 Coffetek, the Portishead-based vending machine manufacturer with 51 staff, has been acquired by Azkoyen of Spain for undisclosed terms. 03-Apr-2008 Moore & Smalley has merged with Lonsdale & Partners to create a combined Lancashire-based accountancy group with 200 staff. 02-Apr-2008 Conchango, the technology consultancy with offices in Egham, London, Aberdeen, India and the US, has been acquired by the UK arm of EMC for £42m. 02-Apr-2008 Recruit Retail Services has acquired Kennedy Clayton, the Dewsbury-based shopfitting and installation firm. 01-Apr-2008 Accountis, the Gwynedd-based supplier of payment systems, has been acquired by Fundtech of the US for £3.8m. 31-Mar-2008 Tomcat Systems, the Belfast-based medical IT company with 25 staff, has been acquired by Philips for undisclosed terms, and will become part of Philips' Healthcare Informatics division. 28-Mar-2008 Brewer Consulting, the London-based construction law consultancy, has been acquired by FTI Consulting of the US for undisclosed terms. 27-Mar-2008 Crisp Thinking of Leeds has acquired IMSafer, the US supplier of child protection software for the internet, for undisclosed terms. 26-Mar-2008 Wastecare has acquired E Pease & Sons, the Leeds-based industrial packaging recycling and reconditioning firm that will now trade as PackCare, for undisclosed terms. 26-Mar-2008 Lord Group, the Rochdale-based building refurbishment firm with 125 staff, has been acquired by Kinetics Group for undisclosed terms. 25-Mar-2008 Opus TF is to merge with Nant to create a combined Welsh TV production company with more than 120 staff called Rondo Media. 24-Mar-2008 Agrical, the agricultural loss adjuster with 35 staff at offices including Tadcaster and Wells, has undergone a management buy-out. 24-Mar-2008 G4S has acquired ArmorGroup, the private security and mine clearance group, for £44m. 24-Mar-2008 Joynes Pike, the engineering consultancy with 170 staff in Nottingham, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Doncaster, Warrington, Stoke, Wetherby and Shoreham, has been acquired by Opus International of New Zealand for more than £5m. 20-Mar-2008 Williams & Griffin, the Colchester department store, has been acquired by Fenwick for undisclosed terms. 19-Mar-2008 CDB Meats, the Dartford-based meat importer that owns Ham Packers in Cornwall and has annual sales of about £30m, has been acquired by Marfrig of Brazil. 18-Mar-2008 Shaylor has acquired John Davies Interiors, the Oldbury-based design and refurbishment company with 50 staff. 17-Mar-2008 Arc-Gen has acquired Hilta Plant, the West Bromwich-based water pump and pressure washer manufacturer, from Flowplant Group for undisclosed terms. 17-Mar-2008 Fairhursts Design is to merge with Cruickshank & Seward to create a combined Manchester-based architectural firm with 125 staff. 17-Mar-2008 Freedom4 Communications is to sell its internet hosting and network services operations to private equity firm Oakley for £120m. 17-Mar-2008 Mechan Controls has acquired Nirvana Engineering, the Stafford-based supplier of structures for the storage of back up power systems with annual turnover of £1.9m. 13-Mar-2008 Suburban Style Bar Co has acquired a further ten pubs in West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, taking its total estate to 15. 13-Mar-2008 Verve has bought the Bickets and Motorway car dealerships in Glasgow, increasing its chain from five to 12 sites. 13-Mar-2008 EUSA Pharma of Oxford has acquired Cytogen, the US biotechnology firm, for £11m, taking its worldwide workforce to more than 200. 13-Mar-2008 Grimwood & Dix has bought Hyde Electrical Services out of administration, creating an enlarged Dukinfield-based electrical engineering business with 200 staff. 12-Mar-2008 PolyOil, the Aberdeen-based oil services firm with ten staff, has been acquired by Roxar of Norway for £4.7m. 12-Mar-2008 Denholm Logistics has acquired Arends International, the Newton-le-Willows-based freight forwarding firm with annual turnover of more than £50m, for undisclosed terms. 11-Mar-2008 Maun Industries, the Sutton-in-Ashfield hand tool manufacturer with 45 staff, has been sold to a management buy-in team backed by Watersheds. 11-Mar-2008 Four Corners has acquired Maplelord, the financial advice firm, for undisclosed terms, and eight staff will relocate from Market Harborough, Melton and Kibworth to Nottingham. 10-Mar-2008 Morrison Utility Services, the utility infrastructure firm with 3,500 staff, has been sold by AWG to Cognetas and Englefield Capital for £135m. 10-Mar-2008 Turnbull & Scott, the Hawick-based manufacturer of heat exchangers with 20 staff, has undergone a management buy-in backed by TRI Cap. 07-Mar-2008 First London Securities has acquired Torus IB, the holding company for a number of boutique investment management companies, for £26m. 07-Mar-2008 Nexus Vehicle Management, the Leeds-based vehicle rental firm, has undergone a £11m management buy-out backed by ISIS Equity Partners. 07-Mar-2008 TSEU Group, the Leicester-based traffic light manufacturer with 230 staff at eight UK sites, has been acquired by Telent of Coventry. 07-Mar-2008 Forshaws is to merge with Davies Ridgway, creating a combined Warrington-based law firm called FDR Solicitors with 150 staff. 06-Mar-2008 Clyde Group, the marine recruitment firm with 150 staff in Glasgow, Stirling, Clydebank, Inverness, Aberdeen and Southampton, has undergone a management buy-out. 05-Mar-2008 G4S has acquired Rock Steady, the Edinburgh-based provider of security, stewarding and crowd management services with annual turnover of £12m. 05-Mar-2008 Momart, the London-based fine art logistics firm, has been acquired by Falkland Islands Holdings for £10m. 05-Mar-2008 Azelis Plastics has acquired Whyte Polymers, the North London-based plastics distributor with warehouses in Doncaster and Felixstowe, from Whyte Chemicals. 03-Mar-2008 Simpson Bros, the York-based car salvage firm with 55 staff, has been acquired by Copart of the US for undisclosed terms. 29-Feb-2008 Foray Motor Group of Salisbury has acquired a Ford car dealership in Poole, taking its total chain to seven. 29-Feb-2008 Designcapital has acquired Artelano, the French designer furniture manufacturer, for £1.2m, and plans to open an Artelano shop in London. 28-Feb-2008 Contract Foods, the Redditch-based provider of food manufacturing services with 120 staff, has been acquired by Huegli Holding of Switzerland for undisclosed terms. 27-Feb-2008 Watson Fuels has acquired a fuel depot previously operated by CPL Petroleum in Diss, taking its nationwide chain to 31. 27-Feb-2008 Medway Foods has sold its Bridgend-based frozen foods factory out of administration to a new company called Pin-it Pastry for £1m, securing the future of 40 jobs. 26-Feb-2008 Europa Support Services has acquired United Utilities FM, the facilities management firm that has 280 staff mostly based in the North West of England. 26-Feb-2008 Keating Group has sold its printing business in Bradley Fold, Lancashire, out of administration to its original founder, saving 18 jobs, but the two sites in Mold have closed with the loss of 102 jobs. 25-Feb-2008 Southern Electric Contracting has acquired Hills Electrical & Mechanical, the contractor with 200 staff in Gatwick, Nottingham, Walsall, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff and London, for a nominal sum. 25-Feb-2008 Kurt Geiger, the chain of 16 luxury shoe stores with concessions in Harrods and Selfridges, is to be acquired by private equity firm Graphite Capital for £95m. 25-Feb-2008 Printwise, the Hampshire-based printing firm, has been bought out of administration by a new company called Print Media. 22-Feb-2008 Seekings & Wardle is to merge with McClarrons Insurance of Snainton to create a combined North Yorkshire-based insurance firm with 25 staff. 22-Feb-2008 Snowdonia Press, the Porthmadog-based commercial printing firm with seven staff, has been acquired by Bear Print. 21-Feb-2008 Cable-Talk, the Wakefield-based computer cabling firm, has been acquired by Great Northern Solutions for £2.8m. 21-Feb-2008 Oyster Marine, the Ipswich-based luxury yacht supplier with 130 staff, is to be acquired by Balmoral Capital for an estimated £70m. 19-Feb-2008 Harmany Blinds, the Birmingham-based blinds manufacturer, has been acquired by Peerless for undisclosed terms. 19-Feb-2008 Exmet has bought the trade and assets of Cheshire-based wall tie manufacturer Powerplace out of administration for undisclosed terms, and is now seeking further acquisitions to double turnover to £100m in five years. 19-Feb-2008 WH Butler & Sons has acquired Victoria Fabrications, the Chesterfield-based engineering firm, in order to increase capacity and gain additional land and buildings. 19-Feb-2008 WB White, the Brighouse-based foundry with 40 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 19-Feb-2008 Adroit Printers of Bristol has been acquired Peninsula Business Systems and rebranded as Peninsula Adroit Printers. 18-Feb-2008 Neville Johnson, the fitted furniture supplier with 200 staff and sites in Manchester, Gerrards Cross and Stirling, is expected to be acquired by Key Capital Partners for about £10m. 18-Feb-2008 WB Bawn & Co has been bought out of administration by Sperrin Metal Products of County Londonderry, securing the future of 50 jobs at its Helmsman storage equipment business in Bury St Edmunds. 18-Feb-2008 Fork Rent of Ipswich has acquired the mechanical assets of Leicestershire-based Swift Plant Hire for undisclosed terms, including 20 delivery vehicles. 18-Feb-2008 Elbow Room, the chain of five pool bars in London, Leeds and Bristol, has been acquired by Inc Group for undisclosed terms. 18-Feb-2008 Dipec Plastics, the Cardiff-based plastics fabricator with 13 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Finance Wales. 15-Feb-2008 Dews Motor Group, the Vauxhall and Alfa Romeo car dealer with sites in Halifax and Brighouse, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Barclays. 15-Feb-2008 LVW Senar has acquired WM Rollings, the Wrexham-based car parts wholesaler with 37 staff, for £2m. 14-Feb-2008 Optima Solutions UK, the Aberdeen-based oil services firm with more than 50 staff, has sold a 55% stake in the business to a Norwegian investor group led by Northern Industries for undisclosed terms. 14-Feb-2008 North Valley Metal, the Nelson-based manufacturer of industrial door components with 25 staff, has undergone a £1m management buy-out. 12-Feb-2008 Midnight Transfer, the London-based film scanning company with 22 staff, has been acquired by Deluxe for undisclosed terms. 12-Feb-2008 Mitcorp, the broadcast equipment supplier with offices in London, Leeds and Glasgow, has been acquired by Creative Video Productions for about £5m. 12-Feb-2008 Greenfield Media has acquired Moonoo Productions, the Cardiff-based digital design and animation company. 11-Feb-2008 Central Foods, the Northampton-based frozen food supplier, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Royal Bank of Scotland. 11-Feb-2008 Inghams Travel has acquired Inntravel, the North Yorkshire-based tour operator with 60 staff, for undisclosed terms. 11-Feb-2008 Buy-at, the online affiliate marketing firm with 70 staff in Newcastle, London and the US, has been acquired by AOL. 08-Feb-2008 RR Foodbox, the Keighley-based packaging manufacturer with 40 staff, has been acquired by Avro Industries of Cambridge. 07-Feb-2008 Whitmarsh Sterland is to merge with Streets to create a combined accountancy group with almost 200 staff in Cambridge, St Neots, Newmarket, London, Hull, Peterborough, Grantham, Lincoln and Retford. 07-Feb-2008 Fraser Dawbarns is to merge with Waterman Cheetham to create a combined law firm with 110 staff at offices in King's Lynn, Wisbech, Downham Market, March and Peterborough. 07-Feb-2008 NSG, the Deeside-based scaffolding firm with 350 staff, has been acquired by MWB Associates for £4.3m. 07-Feb-2008 Darlingtons Group, the transport and warehousing firm with 100 staff in the Wirral and Glossop, has undergone a £1.1m management buy-out. 07-Feb-2008 Polypipe Sanitary Systems has undergone a management buy-out from Polypipe Group, including manufacturing sites at Dukinfield in Manchester and Warmsworth in Yorkshire. 07-Feb-2008 Setmasters, the Dorset-based printing machinery manufacturer with 11 staff, has been bought out of administration by a management team, and will be renamed BCB Professional Finishing Solutions. 06-Feb-2008 Siteserv is to acquire Deborah Services, the Wakefield-based construction support services group with a nationwide chain of 32 depots, for an initial £43m. 05-Feb-2008 Drug Development Solutions, the Dundee-based pharmaceutical trials firm with 37 staff, has been acquired by Chiltern. 05-Feb-2008 Tandy Engineering, the Gloucester-based mechanical and electrical engineering services firm with 30 staff, has been acquired by Facilitas Group for undisclosed terms. 04-Feb-2008 Caldex, the Halifax-based pet products supplier, has undergone a management buy-in backed by Co-operative Bank. 01-Feb-2008 Clifford Thames has acquired PC Services, the Daventry-based automotive repairs consultancy, for undisclosed terms. 31-Jan-2008 Shoe Zone has bought 309 Stead & Simpson footwear stores out of administration for undisclosed terms, but a further 37 outlets will close. 30-Jan-2008 India Outsourcing Services is to acquire Mela Group, the London-based operator of three restaurants and a catering business, for £2m, and aims to create a nationwide chain of Indian restaurants under the Mela and Chowki brands. 30-Jan-2008 Ticketmaster has acquired Get Me In, the London-based online ticket marketing agency, for undisclosed terms. 30-Jan-2008 Metals UK Group, the Blackburn-based metal processing firm with annual sales of £35m, has been acquired by AM Castle & Co of the US. 29-Jan-2008 D2, the chain of 80 fashion stores, is to be sold by West Coast Capital to a management team, and the Qube footwear chain could also be sold. 28-Jan-2008 Dsi CMM has acquired K2 Group, the Manchester-based marketing and communications firm with 300 staff. 24-Jan-2008 Baris has bought the trade and assets of Steeltech Interiors, the Rotherham-based structural steel firm with 50 staff, for undisclosed terms. 24-Jan-2008 Origin Enterprises is to acquire Masstock Group, the provider of specialist agronomy services to farm enterprises with sites in Cheltenham and Ireland, for an initial £26m. 23-Jan-2008 Malvern Instruments has acquired Viscotek, the US supplier of chromatography systems for the characterisation of polymers and proteins, for undisclosed terms. 23-Jan-2008 Gee Graphite, the Dewsbury-based supplier of graphite seals and gaskets with 36 staff, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms. 23-Jan-2008 Peratech has bought Eleksen, the developer of electronic sensor technology with total assets of £3.1m, out of administration. 22-Jan-2008 Laing Rail, the operator of the Chiltern Trains franchise, is to be acquired by Deutsche Bahn of Germany for an undisclosed sum thought to be about £130m. 22-Jan-2008 UK Bakeries has been bought out of administration by a new company called Kirtons Bakery, securing the future of 41 jobs in Leicester. 21-Jan-2008 Atkinson Richards has merged with Hurst Warne to create a combined property agency with offices in Fleet and Leatherhead. 21-Jan-2008 Insite Service Management has acquired the business and assets of Orbis, the provider of property protection services to councils throughout the country, for £49m. 18-Jan-2008 Seawell is to acquire US-based Noble's oilfield platform-drilling division in Aberdeen, with the transfer of about 300 staff. 18-Jan-2008 JG Ross has acquired Jack Cooper, the bakery chain with 20 staff in Insch, Inverurie and Alford, for undisclosed terms, creating a combined business with 27 shops and 400 staff. 18-Jan-2008 TSW Training, the Bridgend-based training firm with 18 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Finance Wales for undisclosed terms. 17-Jan-2008 Rigrun Europe, the Aberdeenshire-based oilfield equipment supplier with 12 staff, has been acquired by Brimmond Group. 16-Jan-2008 Freeman's of Newent, the Gloucestershire-based chicken processing company, has been acquired by Cargill. 16-Jan-2008 Bridge Insurance Brokers has acquired Chartwell, the Warrington-based insurance broker, taking its total workforce to almost 100. 11-Jan-2008 AE Adams Henfield, the West Sussex-based contract packaging firm with annual turnover of £2.6m, has undergone a management buy-out backed by Venture Finance. 10-Jan-2008 Paramount Windows & Conservatories of Gateshead has undergone a management buy-out and is now looking to open further sites across the North East and expand the 125-strong workforce with 30 new jobs. 10-Jan-2008 Blue Ocean Associates, the oil trading firm, has been acquired by Ion Equity of Ireland for about £100m. 10-Jan-2008 Select Retail, the Watford-based chain of 250 fashion stores with 1,800 staff, has been bought out of administration by an unnamed Turkish investor in a £13m deal. 10-Jan-2008 Hale Group, the pharmaceuticals manufacturer with more than 100 staff in Widnes and Southport, is to be acquired by Marksans Pharma of India for undisclosed terms. 09-Jan-2008 Drainline UK, the Leicester-based rain repair firm, has been bought out of administration by Drainline of Western-super-Mare, securing the future of 18 jobs. 08-Jan-2008 John Shreeves Holdings, the London-based project management firm with annual turnover of £2.4m, has been acquired by Hill International of the US. 08-Jan-2008 Wadham & Isherwood has acquired Keene Farrer, the Hampshire-based property services firm. 07-Jan-2008 Wallis Business Services of York is to merge with Central Stationers of Darlington to create a combined stationery group with 68 staff. 04-Jan-2008
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