List of company mergers and acquisitions which took place in the UK in 2013.
Oxford Instruments, a designer and manufacturer of scientific and high-technology instruments, has acquired Andor Technology for £176m. The deal will see Andor integrated into Oxford Instruments’ nanotechnology tools division.
Torotrak has announced it has agreed to buy Flybrid in a deal worth up to £23m. Torotrak, a developer and supplier of emissions reduction and fuel efficiency technology, previously held a 20% stake in Flybrid, a developer of kinetic energy recovery systems for use in the car industry.
London Irish, the rugby club established in 1898, has been taken over by a consortium of London based Irish businessmen led by Mick Crossan, Executive Chairman of Powerday plc.
The private equity firm Dunedin has backed the £90m management buyout of the safety products supplier Kee Safety.
AZ Electronic Materials, a developer of chemicals and materials for use in flat panel displays, LEDs and photolithographics, has been acquired by the global pharmaceutical company Merck. The £1.6bn deal is the latest stage in Merck’s efforts to become a highly specialised technology company.
A £185m deal has seen the private equity firm Bridgepoint take over Cambridge Education Group, a provider of academic, creative and English language programmes for international students.
The agricultural and distribution business NWF Group has bought the animal feed manufacturer SC Feeds. The £6.75m acquisition is part of NWF’s strategy to focus on the UK agriculture sector.
The multichannel retail logistics company Clipper has strengthened its European operations with the acquisition of the German logistics firm Geist.
Publicis has bought a 75.1% stake in the media agency Walker Media. The deal will see Walker Media become part of Zenith Optimedia.
Park Holidays, the UK’s fourth largest operator of static caravan parks, has been sold by the private equity Graphite Capital to the investment trust Caledonia Investments. The £172m deal provides Graphite with a total return of 2.3 times its investment.
Burton’s, owner of biscuits brands such as Maryland, Jammie Dodgers and Wagon Wheels, has been acquired by the Canadian pension fund Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. The deal includes all of Burton’s brands, all of the rights under Burton’s Cadbury licence and Burton’s manufacturing sites in Blackpool, Edinburgh and Llantarnam along with its chocolate refinery in Moreton.
Aberdeen Asset Management is to acquire Scottish Widows Investment Partnership from Lloyds Banking Group for £550m.
Evercore Pan-Asset, the investment business co-founded by Conservative MP John Redwood in 2007, has been acquired by Charles Stanley Group.
Norland Managed Services, a provider of facilities, energy and project management services, has been taken over by CBRE Group in a deal worth up to £300m. The acquisition will enable CBRE to provide its client base with fully-integrated outsourcing services.
Irwin Mitchell has acquired MPH Solicitors.
8x8, an American provider cloud communications services, has bought Voicenet Solutions for £11m. Voicenet was established in 2004 and is a provider of cloud business telephony and communications services.
The transport and logistics recruitment company Driver Hire Group has acquired Infra Safety Services Labour (ISSL), in a deal which helps diversify Driver’s revenue streams. ISSL is a specialist provider of professional and labour services, minor works projects, track lighting and safety barrier services to the rail industry.
Slater & Gordon has increased its staff numbers in the UK to 1,200 with the acquisition of Pannone Solicitors. The deal includes Pannone’s consumer facing teams and real estate group.
The private equity firm Risk Capital Partners has acquired Neilson Active Holidays from Thomas Cook. Neilson, established in 1978, specialises in sailing, skiing and beach holidays.
The corporate financial news, intelligence and analysis provider The Mergermarket Group has been sold by Pearson to the private equity firm BC Partners. Pearson will use the money generated, £382m, to invest in the digital learning, educational services and emerging markets.
The insurance company Aetna has purchased InterGlobal Group.
The private equity firm Mobeus Equity Partners has backed the £15.9m management buy-out of Virgin Wines. The company was previously owned by Direct Wines, which acquired it in 2005.
The software company Delcam, which specialises in developing products for the manufacturing industry, has been acquired by the American company Autodesk, which develops software products for the design, engineering and entertainment sectors.
The international specialty biopharmaceutical company Shire has acquired ViroPharma in a deal which values the rare disease biopharmaceutical company at £2.6bn.
The cloud-based private electronic marketplace developer epyx has been sold by the private equity firm HgCapital to Fleetcor.
The private equity firm NorthEdge Capital has backed the £25.5m management buy-out of the fine chemicals manufacturer Fine Industries. Established in 1977, Fine’s products are used in the crop protection, pharmaceutical and specialty chemicals markets.
The PR firm MWW has moved into the UK with the acquisition of Parys Communications.
Equistone Partners Europe has sold Allied Glass to the private equity firm CBPE Capital, in a move which sees CBPE Capital invest in the premium glass bottles and containers manufacturer for a second time, having previously owned it from 2002 through to 2010.
The recruitment company Morson has purchased certain businesses and assets of Vital Services Group. The deal includes the HR services provider Vital Human Resources.
The engineering and environmental consultancy AMEC has acquired the design engineering nuclear services firm Automated Engineering Services. The deal will strengthen AMEC’s position in the US nuclear market.
Headlam, one of the biggest floorcovering distributors in Europe, has acquired the business and certain assets of the residential floorcovering distributor Fell’s Carpets. The £1.3m deal will see the sales, marketing and logistics activities of Fell’s Carpets move to Headlam’s existing facility in Gildersome, Leeds.
W&D Holdings, a provider of wireless products and services to businesses and governments, has been taken over by Ultra Electronics. The £6m acquisition will see W&D operation within Ultra’s tactical systems division.
The Royal Bank of Scotland and Alcentra have backed a management buyout of the specialist outdoor retailer Mountain Warehouse.
XL Marketing, the US-based direct and email marketing company, has moved into the international market with the acquisition of Intela, the lead generation and email marketing company which has operations in the UK, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Germany and France. The deal will see Intela’s data and customer acquisition businesses merge with Virtuoso Advertising, XL Marketing’s existing UK subsidiary.
PricewaterhouseCoopers is to take over the management consultancy firm Booz & Company.
The private equity firm New Mountain Capital has acquired the outsourced recruitment services provider Alexander Mann Solutions. The £260m deal will see New Mountain help Alexander Mann develop its outsourcing and consultancy services.
Busy Bees, the UK’s largest childcare provider, has been acquired by the Canadian pension fund Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan. Busy Bees' management team will retain a significant minority stake in the company.
The business and IT communications providers Lanway and Profile IT are to merge. Profile IT will trade as Lanway and take on the Lanway name and brand.
Sportech has sold Vernons.com to the gaming division of NetPlay TV. The £3m deal includes the Vernons branded online casino, poker, bingo and sportsbook websites.
Suttons International, a provider of a fleet of tank containers for transporting bulk liquid and gas, has further strengthened its position in the fast growing Chinese market with the acquisition of Han Chi Logistics.
Travel Entertainment Group, parent company of IFE Services, has been bought by the US company Global Eagle Entertainment. IFE Services specialises in providing in-flight entertainment services to airlines and cruise lines.
The American pharmaceutical distributor McKesson has taken a 50.01% stake in Celesio, the parent company of AAH Pharmaceutical and Lloydspharmacy. The £5bn deal creates a group with an annual turnover of £93bn with 81,500 employees worldwide.
Daisy Group, the business network and IP-based communications provider, has acquired Indecs for £18m. Indecs specialises in providing technical maintenance and support services for business critical, IT server and cloud storage facilities. Daisy will use the deal to generate maintenance revenues in addition to revenues from hardware sales, consultancy services and time and materials services outside of a client’s main service agreement.
Goldman Sachs has taken a 50% stake in Hastings Insurance, in a deal which values the insurance provider at £700m.
IRIS, a provider of software and services to the accountancy and payroll sectors, has bought the cloud-based bookkeeping software developer Kashflow. The deal strengths IRIS’s position in the increasingly important cloud software market.
Nelson Packaging, which specialises in environmentally friendly packaging, has been acquired by the Cheshire-based trade buyer EDCAWI.
The Scottish Government has announced it is to acquire Glasgow Prestwick Airport and take it into public ownership. Current owner Infratil announced its intention to sell the airport March 2012, but it has been unable to find a buyer in the private sector.
Sanderson, a developer of multi-channel retail software, has acquired One iota, a developer of cloud-based retail software services.
Cote Restaurants, which operates eleven French restaurants across the UK, has been taken over by the private equity firm CBPE Capital.
Trinity Expert Systems has been acquired by Liberata, in a deal which creates a company with a turnover of £110m and a workforce of 1,800 employees.
The digital set top box manufacturer Pace has acquired Aurora Networks for £190m. Aurora specialises in the development of optical transport and access systems for broadband networks.
RBS Invoice Finance has backed the £37m management buyout of the pharmaceutical wholesaler DE Group. The group consists of consists of DE Pharmaceuticals, National Generics in the Midlands, Eclipse Generics in Scotland, Crosspharma Pharmaceuticals in Northern Ireland and Eurodrug in the Republic of Ireland.
ParkingEye, the car parking technology company which uses number plate recognition management systems to provide remote enforcement, management information and alerting services to car park owners, has been acquired by Capita for £57.5m.
The private equity firm Permira Funds has bought R Griggs Group, the parent company and licensee of the Dr Martens brand, for £300m.
Ambassador Theatre Group, owner of 40 venues in the UK and West End, including the Phoenix, Savoy and Donmar Warehouse, has been acquired by the private equity firm Providence Equity Partners.
Doodson Broking Group, the entertainment and sports insurance specialist, has been acquired by the US insurance brokerage and risk management firm Integro.
A new top ten independent television production company has been created following the announcement that Boom Pictures is to acquire Twofour Group. The Twofour labels will retain their names and branding.
eBay has acquired the same day delivery company Shutl.
MedImmune, AstraZeneca’s biologics research and development division, has acquired Spirogen in a deal worth up to £275m. Spirogen was established in 2001 and specialises in developing oncology drugs.
The waste management services provider Biffa has agreed to buy Shanks’ UK solid waste business for £9.5m.
The insurance and consultancy group Abbey Protection has been acquired by the US insurance company Markel Corporation. The £116.5m deal strengthens Markel’s UK retail business, where it will retain the Abbey Protection brand.
The corrugated packaging manufacturer Smurfit Kappa has purchased the litho-laminated packaging specialist CRP Print and Packaging.
The accountancy firms Mitchell Charlesworth and Jenner & Co are to merge.
The specialist advertising sales house Multicultural & Ethnic Media (MEM) has been bought by Sky. The deal will see MEM become part of Sky Media.
High Edge Consulting, a provider of regulatory and quality assurance assistance to the medical device industry, has been acquired by the US-based life sciences industry consulting company Maetrics.
Palatine Private Equity has backed the secondary management buyout of the social housing contractor Forrest. The deal will see the private equity firm invest £16m.
The management and technical consultancy WYG has acquired the chartered planning and property advisers Higham & Co.
Telsol, a manufacturer of animal medicine, has been taken over Bimeda.
Orthoplastics, a supplier of products to the orthopedic device implant sector, has been acquired by the US plastic processing specialist MedPlast.
A1 Sports, the ecommerce retailer which specialises in sports nutrition products, has been taken over by the US health and wellness products retailer GNC Holdings. A1 Sports, which trades as Discount Supplements, was established in 2004 and is predicted to have a turnover of £20m in 2013.
The online travel agent On The Beach, which specialises in beach holidays, has been acquired by the private equity firm Inflexion for £73m.
The private equity firm Scottish Equity Partners has backed the management buyout of Tryzens, a provider of digital retail services, from its parent company Jaywing.
Scotland’s third largest commercial property advisory by turnover has been created following GVA’s acquisition of James Barr.
The private equity firm Sovereign Capital has acquired the accident management company Kindertons.
Britannia Living Appliances, a supplier of traditional and contemporary range cookers, has been acquired by Glen Dimplex Home Appliances.
The internet services company iomart has bought the cloud backup and disaster recovery services provider Backup Technology, which protects petabytes of data for companies such as Siemens, Lloyds Register and Pernod Ricard. In addition to the £23m deal, iomart has purchased the dedicated servers and managed services provider Redstation.
Begbies Traynor, which specialises in corporate rescue and recovery, has acquired the corporate insolvency specialist Cooper Williamson, in a deal which could be worth as much as £2.5m.
The Italian tissue manufacturer Sofidel has strengthened its UK operations with the acquisition of NTG Papermill.
The management team at YFM Equity Partners has bought the private equity firm from GLE Group.
The Land Rover dealership Chipperfield has been acquired by Lookers in a deal worth £10.4m.
Two of Sheffield’s leading firms of chartered accountants, Hart Shaw and Atkin Macredie & Co, have agreed to merge.
The Walsall-based law firms Enoch Evans and Addison O’Hare have agreed to merge. The combined firm will consist of 40 lawyers and a staff of over 70 operating under the name Enoch Evans LLP incorporating Addison O’Hare Solicitors.
The electronic cigarette manufacturer SKYCIG has been acquired by Lorillard, the third largest manufacturer of cigarettes in the United States.
Midlands Co-operative Society and Anglia Co-operative Society have agreed to merge, in a move that creates one of the largest retail co-operative societies in the UK, with projected sales of £1bn.
The professional services company Towers Watson has been acquired by Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT). The deal, worth £156m, will see Towers Watson merge with JLT’s reinsurance business, JLT Re.
Ernst & Young has acquired the management consultancy Greenwich Consulting.
The animal genetics company Genus has bought Genetiporc. The £24.8m deal strengthens Genus’s position in the global pig genetics industry.
The law firm Linder Myers has acquired Dickson Haslam, the Lancashire law firm which was established in 1797.
The private equity firm Electra Partners has acquired South Lakeland Parks for £47m. The deal will see Electra invest £22m in the holiday parks operator, which was established in 1988 and owns and operates nine holiday parks in the English Lake District and Morecambe Bay area.
The commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has been taken over by Countrywide. The £34.1m deal will see LSH, which recently oversaw the sale of the BBC Television Centre for £200 million, form a new division within Countrywide.
Advanced Computer Software, which specialises in providing software and IT services to the healthcare and commercial sectors, has acquired Avia Health Informatics, a provider of clinical decision support systems through its subsidiary Plain Healthcare.
The American hotel company Interstate has strengthened its position in the UK market with the acquisition of Chardon Management, owner of 32 hotels consisting of the Holiday Inn Express and Holiday Inn brands in addition to Hotel Indigo, Best Western, Choice, Ibis Styles and independent hotel brands. The deal takes Interstate’s UK portfolio to 47 hotels.
Sentaca a provider of technical consulting services to the telecommunications industry, has been bought by the engineering company Altran.
Capita has moved into the legal services sector with the acquisition of Optima Legal Services, provider of legal services for property transactions, debt recovery and litigation services. The deal will see Optima become part of Capita Legal Services, a new, wholly-owned subsidiary of Capita plc which will provide regulated and non-regulated legal services for lender, insurance, government, legal, and corporate markets. Also included in the deal is Optima’s subsidiary Cost Advocates, a provider of legal costs drafting and negotiation services.
The information technology services provider Amor has been acquired by the American aerospace company Lockheed Martin. The deal is part of Lockheed Martin’s strategy of expanding into international information technology, civil government services and the energy market.
EMIS Group, provider of software services to over half of the UK’s GP practices, has acquired the healthcare IT company Ascribe for £57.5m.
The primary care property investor and developer Assura has bought Trinity Medical Properties, owner of 32 medical centres, for £62.5m.
The private equity firm Equistone has taken a majority stake in Whitworths. The deal values the UK’s largest supplier of dried fruit, nut and seed products at £90m. The investment will be used by Whitworths to further develop its product range, with a move into areas such as out of home snacking.
The specialist digital agency POKE has been acquired by Publicis Groupe.
Eventbrite has acquired the event data company Lanyrd.
Hydrodec Group has purchased OSS Group, the UK’s largest collector of waste oil and workshop waste.
The UK and Irish operations of the Datapoint group of companies have been acquired by Maintel. The £3.5m deal enables Maintel to diversify its revenue base. Datapoint specialises in contact centre technology.
The private equity firm LDC has backed the management buyout of fiduciary and administration services provider Equiom.
GlaxoSmithKline(GSK) has sold two of the UK’s best known nutritional drinks brands, Lucozade and Ribena, to the Japanese food and drinks company Suntory Beverage & Food. The £1.35bn deal, which includes global rights to the brands and GSK’s Coleford manufacturing base, will be used by GSK to reduce debt and for general corporate purposes. Sales for the two brands totalled £500m in 2012.
E.ON Connecting Energies, a subsidiary of E.ON which focuses on B2B energy efficiency, has acquired the energy management company Matrix. Established in 2003, Matrix uses advanced metering and energy management technologies to help businesses reduce their energy consumption by up to 40%.
Monitise, a provider of mobile banking and payment technologies to businesses and financial institutions, has acquired the design agency Grapple Mobile. The deal will see Grapple integrated into Monitise’s Create division.
The mobile phone insurance provider Lifestyle Services Group has been sold by Phones 4u to Assurant Solutions. The £107m deal strengthens Assurant’s position in the mobile marketplace.
David Lloyd Leisure, which operates 79 health and fitness clubs in the UK, has been acquired by the private equity firm TDR Capital.
Ladbrokes has agreed a £13m deal to takeover the Australian online sports betting business Gaming Investments.
Shakespeares has reinforced its position as the second largest specialist law firm in the Midlands with the acquisition of the law practice and consultancy Marrons, and Newsome Vaughan, which specialises in social housing and banking.
Müller Dairy has acquired Nom Dairy UK. Müller hopes Nom’s yogurt production facility, based on a 24 acre site in Telford, will enable it to further develop its position in the UK private label yogurt sector. Müller recently announced plans to build the UK’s largest butter plant at its Market Drayton site.
SPIE, one the biggest electrical and mechanical engineering in Europe, has moved into the UK electrical network installation market with the acquisition of Electricity Network Solutions (ENS). The deal will see ENS become part of SPIE’s industrial services business, with its name changing to SPIE ENS.
The content marketing agency Editions Publishing has been acquired by Communisis. The deal, worth £7.1m, is part of Communisis’ strategy of purchasing businesses in specialist complementary areas.
The equipment rental company Vp plc has acquired Mr Cropper, which specialises in the rental of pile cropping machines to the UK groundworks and construction sectors. The deal, worth £4.6m, will see Mr Cropper integrated into Vp’s existing piling equipment division, Groundforce.
The law firm Scotts Holt & Sellars has been taken over by mfg Solicitors.
The same day distribution network CitySprint has acquired the Leeds-based courier company UK Express.
The private equity firm Palatine has backed the £17m management buyout of the holiday price comparison website Icelolly.
Microsoft has moved to strengthen its position in the mobile phone sector, where it is active with the Windows Phone operating system in competition with Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, with the acquisition of Nokia’s devices and services business for £4.6bn. The deal, which includes the mobile phones and smart devices business units, will see 32,000 employees transfer from Nokia to Microsoft.
The train maintenance and repair company Railcare has been bought out of administration by Knorr-Bremse Rail Group. The deal will see a new company formed, to be called Knorr-Bremse RailServices, which will continue to operate from Springburn in Glasgow and Wolverton near Milton Keynes.
Micro Precision Gear Technology, a manufacturer of precision gears for the aerospace industry, has been taken over by the American industrial products manufacturer Rexnord.
Citation, which specialises in providing employment law and health and safety regulations advice, has acquired Bibby Consulting & Support (BCS) from Bibby Line Group. BCS is a provider of compliance management services to over 2,000 clients across the UK.
Meggitt has strengthened its sensing systems business with the £26.5m acquisition of Piezotech.
Insurecom, a provider of computing software to insurance brokers, has been taken over by the American software company Applied Systems.
The vacuum products manufacturer Edwards Group has been acquired by Atlas Copco. The deal will see a new Vacuum Solutions division established within the Atlas Copco Compressor Technique business division.
The parent company of the RSM Tenon group has gone into administration. The profitable trading operations of RSM Tenon, the UK’s seventh largest accountancy firm, have been purchased by Baker Tilly.
Fentons Solicitors, the UK’s largest specialist claimant law firm, has been acquired by the Australian law firm Slater & Gordon.
The private equity firm LDC has backed the management buyout of uSwitch, which offers consumers the opportunity to compare services offered by utility, finance, insurance and communications companies.
The international distribution and outsourcing company Bunzl has bought the The Fulfilment Store, one of the UK’s leading fulfilment service providers.
The international engineering company IMI plc has acquired Analytical Flow Products for £36m.
Skrill, a provider of alternative payment services to the online industry, has been acquired by the private equity firm CVC Capital Partners.
The German pharmaceutical company STADA has acquired Thornton & Ross, the OTC pharmaceutical manufacturer which was established in 1922, for £221m. Thornton & Ross’s brands include Covonia, Hedrin, Care, Radian B, Setlers® and the disinfectant Zoflora.
Balfour Beatty has sold its UK Facilities Management business, Balfour Beatty Workplace, to GDF SUEZ. The deal will see Balfour Beatty Workplace integrated into GDF SUEZ’s energy services division, which provides energy services, technical services & facilities management through the Cofely brand in the UK.
Corporate Media Partners Ltd has bought the brand, assets and ongoing operations of Thomson Local, the local listings directory publisher.
Wesleyan Assurance Society, which offers a range of financial products for professionals, including doctors, dentists, teachers and lawyers, has taken over Practice Plan, a provider of dental membership plans, and Medenta, a provider of patient finance to UK dental practices.
Domestic & General, the UK’s leading provider of extended warranties on household appliances, has been acquired by the private equity firm CVC Capital Partners.
The strategic outsourcing company MITIE has bought UK CRBs, one of the UK’s leading providers of online criminal records checking. UK CRBs will be integrated into MITIE’s employee screening division, PeopleCert.
Cardtronics, the American ATM services provider, has strengthened its position in the European ATM market with the acquisition of Cardpoint, which trades as Cashzone in the UK and Cardpoint in Germany. The deal, worth £100m, will see Cardtronics combine Cashzone, Cardpoint and Bank Machine (the name of its existing UK operations) under a single corporate identity, Cardtronics Europe.
Elsevier has taken over Woodhead Publishing, which has published over 1,500 titles covering the fields of materials science, food science, engineering, energy & environmental technology, textile technology and biomedicine. The deal includes Chandos Publishing, a library and information science publisher.
The property insurance company Lancashire Holdings has agreed to take over Cathedral Capital for £266m. Cathedral operates exclusively in the Lloyd’s insurance market and writes insurance and reinsurance business in property, direct and facultative property, aviation, satellite, marine cargo and contingency classes.
Lewis Civil Engineering, which specialises in the construction and maintenance of infrastructure and assets within the water industry, has been acquired by the engineering services company Renew for £7.9m.
The roadside restaurant Little Chef has been sold by the private equity firm RCapital to the Kuwait based Kout Food Group. The first Little Chef opened in Reading in 1958, and it now serves six million customers in 78 restaurants across the UK. Kout already owns the Maison Blanc brand, in addition to more than 40 Burger King and KFC restaurants in the UK.
Costain has acquired the specialist oil & gas project management services company EPC Offshore. The deal, worth £9.6m, will see EPC Offshore combine with ClerkMaxwell to form Costain Upstream.
EMIS Group, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of healthcare software to GPs, has acquired the healthcare information technology provider Digital Healthcare.
Avelo, a provider of technology services to the financial services industry, has been sold by the private equity firm LDC to IRESS, an Australian-based financial services technology provider. The £210m deal gives IRESS a greater presence in the UK market.
The private equity firm ISIS has backed the £9m management buyout of Key Travel, the travel management company which specialises in serving the not-for-profit, academic and faith sectors.
Johnson Service Group has sold its facilities management division, which includes SGP Property & Facilities Management, to the private equity firm Lyceum Capital.
The French energy management company Schneider Electric has agreed to takeover Invensys, in a deal which values the technology company at £3.4bn. Schneider believes the deal will enable it to create a market leading company in industrial automation, advanced software services and power services.
Two of the world’s leading advertising agencies, Omnicom and Publicis, have agreed to merge, in a deal which creates an agency with a combined turnover of £15bn.
Bauer Media, owner of radio stations such as Kiss, Kerrang! and Magic, has bought Absolute Radio. The deal means Bauer now has over 16 million listeners to its UK portfolio of radio stations.
A consortium formed by Aena and AXA Private Equity has acquired London Luton Airport for £438m.
The private equity firm Investcorp has bought the premium crisps and snacks manufacturer Tyrrells. The deal, worth £100m, will be used by Tyrrells to expand in the UK and international markets.
The cloud computing provider Mandata has been acquired by the private equity firm Synova Capital. Mandata specialises in providing a range of cloud software services to the haulage and logistics market.
The private equity firm Mobeus has backed the £11m management buyout of the outsourced technical services provider Veritek. The company plans to use this investment to expand its European presence.
The coachbuilding company Woodall Nicholson has been acquired by Mosaic Private Equity, RooGreen Ventures and Enterprise Ventures.
The advertising gency BJL has acquired the PR agency Mere PR. Mere, which specialises in travel, tourism, sport and leisure, will merge with BJL’s existing PR department.
Adler and Allan, a provider of oil and environmental services, has strengthened its specialist response and remediation knowledge with the purchase of AMW Contractors.
Nicole Farhi, the designer brand which went into administration on 3 July 2013, has been acquired by businesswoman Maxine Hargreaves-Adams. The deal includes all six stores, nine concessions throughout the UK and Ireland and the wholesale and e-commerce parts of the business.
Renovo, the former drug development company which now focuses on investment opportunities, has acquired Ultimate Finance for £19.4m. Ultimate provides a range of cashflow services to small and medium sized businesses.
The private equity firm TPG Capital has acquired TSL Education from Charterhouse Capital Partners. TSL, which has offices in London, Washington DC, New Delhi and Sydney, publishes the Times Educational Supplement.
TD Travel has acquired Hotelscene, in a deal which creates one of the UK’s biggest corporate travel and hotel booking agents. The newly combined company, which will be called Corporate Travel International, will have a turnover of £100m.
The private equity firm NVM has backed the £7m management buyout of furniture manufacturer Buoyant.
The businessman Shahid Khan, owner of the North American automotive supplier Flex-N-Gate Corporation and NFL team Jacksonville Jaguars, has bought Fulham Football Club from Mohamed Al Fayed.
The aerospace company Cobham has taken over full control of FB Heliservices, its joint venture with Bristow Helicopters, in a deal worth £74m. FB Heliservices provides helicopters to military and government organisations, operational engineering support services, and training for pilots, rear crew and engineers.
The Department of Health has sold an 80% stake in Plasma Resources UK to the private equity firm Bain Capital for £230m. Plasma Resources manufactures blood plasma products which it then supplies to the NHS.
The life sciences company Syntaxin, which specialises in botulinum toxin engineering, has been acquired by the French pharmaceutical company Ipsen, in a deal worth up to £112m.
The sports data company Opta is to be acquired by the sports media group Perform. The deal, worth £40m, will see Opta’s range of products be integrated into Perform’s direct to consumer platforms, such as football site Goal.com.
HSS Hire has become the UK’s second largest provider of powered access services followings its acquisition of UK Platforms from the Haulotte Group. UK Platforms, established in 2000, is a nationwide hire company supplying a range of electric and diesel powered access products.
Earthmill, an energy company which specialises in wind turbines, is to merge with the wind energy division of TGC Renewables. The merged company will be known as Earthmill (The Green Company) and will be the UK’s biggest 50-225kw wind turbine installer.
The private equity firm The Carlyle Group has acquired the packaging products supplier Chesapeake.
The communications technology provider Ericsson has agreed to acquire the media services company Red Bee Media. The deal is the latest stage of Ericsson strategy to move into the broadcast services market, which saw the company purchase Broadcast Services Division in 2012. Red Bee Media, established in 2005, will be integrated Ericsson's global services business unit.
The private equity firm LDC has backed the £62m management buyout of the fire fighting products and technology manufacturer Angus Fire.
Balfour Beatty has sold Exeter International Airport to the Rigby Group.
The ID verification services provider GB Group has acquired CRD, the UK’s sixth largest criminal record disclosure umbrella organisation. CRD processes 55,000 checks a year.
Health Management, a provider of occupational health care services, has been taken over by the American health services provider MAXIMUS.
Dalian Wanda Group, China’s largest commercial property and entertainment conglomerate, has acquired the luxury motor yacht manufacturer Sunseeker. The deal, worth £320m, will strengthen the Sunseeker brand in China, one of the world’s fastest growing luxury yacht markets.
The private equity firm Phoenix Equity Partners has acquired Key Retirement Solutions (KRS) in a £35m deal. KRS is an independent distributor of equity release loans.
The Swiss chemicals company Sika has purchased the sealants, adhesives and construction chemicals manufacturer Everbuild.
Vodafone has agreed to takeover Kabel Deutschland, in a deal which values the German telecommunications company at £9.1bn. Kabel Deutschland’s subscriber base has a relatively low level of broadband and pay-tv usage, and Vodafone considers this is a strong growth area.
Legal & General has acquired the closed UK annuity buy-out company Lucida. The deal, worth £151m, is part of Legal & General’s plan to drive growth through acquisitions in five key business areas, including retirement solutions.
The private equity firm ISIS Equity Partners has backed the £3.5m management buyout of the executive search and intelligence consultancy Armstrong Craven.
The US TV production company Thinkfactory Media, maker of the Emmy award-nominated drama Hatfields and McCoys, has been acquired by ITV. The deal sees ITV pay £20m for a 65% stake in the company.
Pearl Therapeutics, an American pharmaceutical company which specialises in producing drugs to treat respiratory disease, has been purchased by AstraZeneca.
The private equity firm Endless has backed the management buyout of the aerosols and speciality chemicals supplier James Briggs. The deal sees Endless provide funding for investment in the company’s sales, marketing, infrastructure, manufacturing equipment and IT systems.
Veritape, a provider of payment card security services, has been acquired by Eckoh in a deal worth up to £10.6m.
Modern Times Group, a Swedish-based entertainment broadcasting group, has purchased Digital Rights Group (DRG) from Ingenious Media for £13.2m. DRG sells the international rights to tv shows such as Doc Martin, The Inbetweeners, Singing Bee, Kingdom, Sea Patrol and Criminal Justice.
The energy consultancy Energy Information Centre, which was established in 1975, has been taken over by Utilitywise. The £15.5m deal will allow Utilitywise to further strengthen its position in the industrial & commercial segment of the market.
British International Helicopter Services has been sold by the private equity firm Mobeus Equity Partners to Patriot Aerospace Group. The deal makes Patriot the largest British owned helicopter company in the UK.
The car rental company Hertz has acquired the accident management provider CCL Vehicle Rentals.
Lumi Mobile, a consumer insight mobile technology and real-time audience engagement provider, has acquired the interactive events technology group IML.
Dynamotive has been acquired by the engineering company ABB. The deal will see Dynamotive integrated into ABB’s drives and controls business unit.
The cinema chain Vue has been purchased by the private equity firm OMERS for £935m. Vue operates 80 cinemas with 755 screens across the UK, and a further 116 cinemas across Portugal, Taiwan, Germany and Denmark.
Fuller’s has moved into the premium cider market with the acquisition of the craft cider company Cornish Orchards.
The private equity firm Dunedin has backed the £43m management buyout of the technology services provider Trustmarque Solutions.
The IT security company Vigilant has been purchased by Deloitte. The deal strengthens Deloitte’s ability to provide customised security services in the financial services, defence, retail, manufacturing, energy, and pharmaceuticals sectors.
AstraZeneca has agreed to buy Omthera Pharmaceuticals, a US-based company which specialises in cardiovascular medicine, for £210m.
The publishing and marketing services company St Ives has acquired Branded3, a digital and SEO agency.
The private equity firm LDC has backed the management buyout of Node4, which operates four data centre facilities across the UK. Node4 will use the investment to focus on new data centre development and potential acquisitions of complementary businesses in the data centre and cloud services markets.
Bury FC has been taken over by businessman Stewart Day. The deal sees all outstanding debts to the PFA and HMRC cleared.
Hargreaves Services, a supplier of solid fuels and bulk material logistics, has bought the mining company Aardvark. The £10.4m deal secures the future of 237 employees.
The mail equipment company Pitney Bowes has agreed to sell Pitney Bowes Management Services to Swiss Post. The deal excludes Pitney Bowes Marketing Lifecycle Services.
Vertu Motors, the UK’s seventh-largest motor retailer, has purchased the Land Rover dealer Farnell in a deal worth £31m. The acquisition strengthens Vertu’s position in the premium marque market.
The insurance company Sun Life Financial of Canada, which has been operating in the UK since 1893, has acquired Lincoln Financial Group.
The US company Flagship Food Group has purchased Atlantic Foods Group from the private equity firm Maven Capital Partners. Atlantic is a provider of a range of food products to the UK foodservice market.
The private equity firm Graphite has sold the oilfield services company Dominion Gas to the American industrial gas company Praxair.
The Microsoft Office 365 support provider Core Technology Systems has strengthened its IT migration market position with the purchase of Parative.
CPC Group has moved into the retail finance sector with the acquisition of Logical Finance, a provider of point-of-sale customer credit facilities to retailers. Logical has been renamed Omni Capital Retail Finance as part of the deal.
Cabot Credit Management has been sold by AnaCap to funds managed and advised by J.C. Flowers & Co.
The London-based photography collective Hungry Tiger has been bought by Photolink Creative Group. The combined business will be the UK’s largest provider of images and video to the retail industry.
The insurance broker BGL, owner of comparethemarket.com, has acquired Minster Law, one of the UK’s top 35 law firms.
The sugar producer Tate & Lyle has further developed its fibres and health and wellness portfolios with the acquisition of the Swedish oat manufacturer Biovelop.
The minicab company Addison Lee has been taken over by the private equity firm The Carlyle Group. Addison Lee, which carries over 10 million passengers across London every year, will use the investment to expand the business in the UK and internationally.
The baby food manufacturer Ella's Kitchen has been purchased by the American food company Hain Celestial. Ella’s Kitchen’s founder Paul Lindley is to take up the role of chief executive officer of the global infant, toddler & kids division at Hain Celestial.
The mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse has acquired the 50% of CPW Europe it does not already own from Best Buy, in a deal worth £471m.
The parcel delivery firm City Link has been bought by the investment firm Better Capital from Rentokil Initial for a nominal fee of £1. Better Capital, which specialises in the turnaround of struggling companies, will invest £40m in City Link.
The Canadian private equity firm OMERS has acquired the business process services provider Civica in a £390m deal.
The Australian law firm Slater & Gordon has moved into the UK market with the acquisition of Goodmans Law.
The American food company Cott has acquired the soft drink manufacturer Calypso Soft Drinks.
Cranswick has acquired the pig breeder East Anglian Pigs. The deal will enable Cranswick to play a more active part in the integrated supply chain.
The private equity firm ISIS has backed the management buyout of the construction & contracting software provider Sage Construction, which has been renamed Eque2 as part of the deal.
The high quality film manufacturer Flexfilm has been bought by British Polythene Industries for £5.5m.
The intelligence gathering equipment manufacturer Datong is to be taken over by the engineering company Seven Technologies in a £7m deal.
The private equity firm LDC has backed the management buyout of D&D London, in a deal worth £50m. D&D runs 12 restaurants and brasseries including Quaglino's, Mezzo, Butler's Wharf Chop House, Pont de la Tour, Coq d'Argent, Bluebird and Sartoria.
The private equity firm PAI Partners has acquired the ice cream manufacturer R&R Ice Cream. The deal will see investment in the company’s international expansion and its consumer brands.
Help-Link, the boiler and central heating installation specialist has been taken over by the private equity firm NorthEdge Capital.
The specialist distribution group Bunzl has bought Michael Davies and Associates, a company which specialises in the procurement and fulfilment of promotional merchandise.
The TV production company The Garden has been acquired by ITV. The Garden is the producer behind shows such as Inside Claridge’s, Seven Dwarves and Kicked Out Kids.
Elite Telecom has bought FoneRent out of administration. FoneRent is an international mobile phone and data services provider which has worked with events such as the Cannes Film Festival and the Olympics.
Decisioning Solutions, A Canadian-based provider of customer acquisition software, has been acquired by the information provider Experian.
The corporate restructuring company Hilco has bought HMV out of administration. The deal secures the future of 132 HMV stores, nine Fopp stores and 2,500 employees. HMV, established in 1921, is the UK’s largest entertainment retailer but has struggled in recent years as consumer spending moves from the high street to online retailers.
The veterinary business Vets4Pets has been acquired by Pets at Home. The deal will see Vets4Pets’ 94 stand-alone veterinary practices integrated into Companion Care Vets, Pets at Home’s in-store vet business.
The information provider Reed Elsevier has acquired Mendeley, the academic social network.
The construction and civil engineering company Costain is to merge with May Gurney. The combined company, which will have a turnover of £1.6bn, will be known as Costain May Gurney PLC.
The law firms Salans, Fraser Milner Casgrain and SNR Denton have merged to form Dentons. The newly combined global law firm has 2,500 lawyers and professionals, making it one of the top ten global law firms.
The asset management company Schroders has acquired the investment bank Cazenove Capital for £424m. Schroders believes the deal will enable it to create one of the biggest private banking organisations in the UK.
The private equity firm Growth Capital Partners has acquired Fishawack for £13m. Established in 2001, Fishawack is a medical communications agency.
The investment firm Gordon Brothers has bought the film and game rental company Blockbuster out of administration, in a deal which secures the future of 264 stores and 2,000 jobs.
Betfair has bought Blue Square Bet from Rank Group for £5m.
Ubiquisys, a technology company which specialises in developing software for licensed 3G spectrum providers, has been taken over by Cisco.
CCSG, which specialises in collections and credit control for utility companies, telecom companies and government agencies, has been acquired by Sigma Financial Group.
The branded showers, tiles and adhesives supplier Norcros has bought Eurobath International for £16m. Eurobath, which trades as Vado, is a manufacturer and distributor of bathroom controls including taps, mixer showers, bathroom accessories and valves.
Dixons Retail has sold Equanet, the specialist IT services brand, to Kelway. The deal further develops Kelway’s managed services offering to medium and large businesses, and in addition enhances its position in the public sector.
A group of companies headed by Bowman Birmingham Limited have bought the business and assets of the engineering company Metalrax, which went into administration at the start of April 2013. The group will trade as Arc Specialist Engineering.
The private equity firm NorthEdge Capital has acquired the specialist engineering company FPE Global.
Legal & General is to acquire Cofunds in a deal which values the investment platform at £175m. As part of the deal Cofunds will form a new business unit within Legal & General’s savings division.
Shire has bought the American biopharmaceutical company SARcode Bioscience. The acquisition strengthens Shire’s position in the ophthalmology therapeutic category.
The private equity firm LDC has backed the £12m management buyout of the claims management and counter fraud software services provider Validus IVC.
The BBC’s commercial division, BBC Worldwide, has sold the travel guide publisher Lonely Planet to the American media company NC2 Media. BBC Worldwide will receive £51.5m, in contrast to the total of £130.2m it paid for Lonely Planet across two separate deals in 2007 and 2011.
The private equity firm Arlington Capital Partners has taken a majority stake in the aerospace engineering company MB Aerospace alongside the existing management team. MB Aerospace is a provider of supply chain integration services alongside the manufacture and repair of complex aero-engine components.
The private equity firm LDC has backed the management buyout of the healthcare equipment and services provider NRS Healthcare, in a deal worth £24m, from multi-channel retailer Findel.
The packaging company Contego has been acquired by Filtrona. The deal, worth £160m, strengthens Filtrona’s position in the pharmaceutical and healthcare markets.
The house builder CALA Group has been taken over by the private equity firm Patron Capital Partners and Legal & General. The deal, which values CALA at £210m, is expected to lead to substantial growth in the medium term.
The management team of Ramco Oil Services has bought it from its current backers, in a deal backed by the private equity firm LDC. Ramco specialises in providing tubular related services to the North Sea oil and gas industry.
The premier boutique hotels Malmaison and Hotel du Vin, which together operate 27 hotels across the UK, have been acquired by the US private equity firm KSL Capital Partners.
The baby clothing company Gro Group has been purchased by the private equity firm Mobeus.
The specialist insurance and reinsurance underwriting company Amlin has agreed to acquire RaetsMarine, a provider of fixed premium marine liability protection and indemnity, in a deal worth up to £44m.
A management buyout has been completed at the steel bar distributor and processor Acenta Steel, which sees the private equity firm Endless sell its stake to the other existing management shareholders.
Parseq, which specialises in business process and technology, has acquired the contact centre services company The Panther Group (TPG). The deal includes TPG’s two main businesses: Pell & Bales and Spokenfor.
Interlube Systems, a manufacturer of automated lubrication delivery systems, has been acquired by the American company Timken.
The financial services company Chase Templeton has gained 1,110 clients following its purchase of UK Independent.
Giraffe, the chain of restaurants which focuses on the family market, has been taken over by Tesco for £48.6m. It is expected that Giraffe will open new restaurants within some of Tesco’s larger stores, as the retailer seeks to diversify its revenue stream.
Amaze, a provider of digital marketing and technology services, has been sold by Hasgrove to St Ives Group. The deal, which strengthens St Ives Group’s marketing services portfolio, will enable Amaze to expand internationally, with a focus on the US and far east markets.
Advanced Computer Software, a provider of business management software and services to the healthcare sector, has bought Computer Software Holdings (CSH) for £110m. CSH will be integrated into Advanced’s business solutions and 365 managed services divisions.
Lloyd Warwick International, a specialist loss consulting company, has been acquired by Crawford & Company.
The logistics firm Sameday UK has been purchased by CitySprint, one of the UK's leading same day distribution networks.
BT has acquired ESPN’s UK channels business, in a deal which gives it the rights to show the FA Cup, Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League, UEFA Europa League, and the German Bundesliga. BT already holds the rights to show 38 live Barclays Premier League matches per season from the start of the 2013/14 season.
The smoothie maker Innocent has announced that Coca Cola has bought the majority of the founders’ remaining shares. Coca-Cola first invested in the company in 2009.
The private equity firm Sun European Partners has bought the bed retailer Dreams out of administration.
The US-based global hotel management company Interstate Hotels & Resorts has moved into the UK market with the acquisition of Sanguine Hospitality. The deal adds 14 hotels to Interstate’s European portfolio.
iQor UK, a provider of outsourced debt collection services, has been purchased by Capita for £42m. The deal gives Capita “late stage” debt recovery capabilities.
Sports Direct has acquired the fashion retailer Republic from administrators. The deal secures the future of 114 Republic stores.
Telefónica UK has sold its O2 and BE consumer broadband and fixed-line telephony business to Sky. The deal, worth £180m, makes Sky the second-largest provider of broadband services in the UK.
Harrison Goddard Foote, one of the UK’s leading full service patent and trade mark attorneys, has acquired Grant Spencer.
Stansted Airport has been purchased by Manchester Airports Group (MAG). The acquisition means MAG now serves 42 million passengers through the airports it owns in the UK, which already includes Manchester, East Midlands and Bournemouth.
Standard Life Wealth, the discretionary fund management company, has acquired Newton Management’s private client division for £83.5m. The deal triples the discretionary assets Standard Life manages.
The business, conference & events hotel group Principal Hayley has been purchased by the investment firm Starwood Capital. Principal owns 23 city centre hotels and dedicated conference and training venues across the UK and Europe.
Finsbury Food Group is to focus on its core cake and bread businesses followings it decision to sell its Free From business to Genius Foods for £21m. Free From produces a range of gluten-free products as well as yum yums and potato scones.
Stream Global Services, a business process outsourcing company, has bought LBM Direct Marketing from the private equity firm ISIS Equity Partners.
Enterprise, a provider of services to utilities companies and public sector infrastructures, has been acquired by the Spanish company Ferrovial for £385m. The deal, which enables Ferrovial to establish itself in the utilities sector, will see Enterprise integrated into Amey, which is already owned by Ferrovial.
Juniper Networks, the US-based provider of networking services, has acquired the trade and assets of Webscreen Systems from Accumuli for £6m.
The jeans maker Lee Cooper, established in 1908, has been purchased by Iconix Brand Group for £38m.
The private equity firm Connection Capital has backed the management buyout of the go kart track operator TeamSport Racing. The deal, worth £9m, will enable TeamSport to expand to 16 sites throughout the UK by 2018.
Aberdeen Asset Management has expanded its North American distribution network with the acquisition of Artio Global Investors for £112m. Artio manages assets worth £9.2bn for a range of retail and institutional clients.
Northgate Information Solutions has sold Northgate Managed Services to Capita. The deal values the cloud-based provider of specialist managed services at £65m.
Heinz, one of the world’s largest and well known food companies, has been purchased by Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital for £18bn.
Planet Rock, the digital radio station which specialises in broadcasting classic rock across the UK, has been acquired by Bauer Media.
Routo Telecommunications has been taken over by the American Internet security and authentication company TeleSign. The acquisition, which includes ownership of a fully operational mobile messaging network, will be used by TeleSign to launch a new messaging services division, TeleSign Mobile.
The Klarius emissions business based at Cheadle has been acquired by a newly set up company called Klarius Products Limited. The deal saves 234 jobs which were at risk following Klarius Group going into administration.
Cardtronics Creative UK, which owns and operates a network of ATMs and multifunction financial services kiosks, has bought the customer engagement software provider i-design. The deal, worth £8.5m, gives Cardtronics greater access to the UK market.
The private equity firm Palatine has backed the acquisition of Inspired Gaming Group’s amusement and leisure division by Playnation. Inspired will use the money generated by this sale to develop its gaming technology business internationally.
Cantor Fitzgerald, one of the world’s leading investment banks, has acquired the specialist stockbroker Seymour Pierce. The deal adds over 70 corporate clients across Cantor Fitzgerald’s range of sectors.
Rosemont Pharmaceuticals, which specialises in liquid medicines for patients who have difficulty swallowing, has been purchased by the American pharmaceutical company Perrigo. The deal, worth £180m, enables Perrigo to further develop its international presence in the UK and continental Europe.
ghd, the professional hair styling brand sold through hair salons for both professional and consumer use, has been sold by Montagu Private Equity to Lion Capital.
The software provider 4Projects has been purchased by the American company Viewpoint Construction Software.
Universal Music has agreed to sell The Parlophone Label Group to Warner Music for £487m. The Parlophone Label Group consists of the Parlophone, Chrysalis and Ensign record labels, with an artist roster which includes Coldplay, Kylie Minogue, Pet Shop Boys and Tinie Tempah.
The Swedish bank Handelsbanken, which was established in 1872, has moved into the UK market with the acquisition of Heartwood Wealth.
PIMS Group, a supplier of supplier of water and wastewater services, has been purchased by the American water technology company Xylem.
A £15bn deal has been agreed which sees the American telecommunications company Liberty Global acquire Virgin Media. The acquisition creates one of the world’s largest broadband communications providers, with 25 million customers in 14 countries. Liberty, which following completion of the deal will generate 80% of its revenue from the UK, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands, plans to redomicile from Delaware to the UK. The Virgin Media brand will continue to be used in the UK.
Sutton and East Surrey Water, a provider of water services to around 655,000 people, has been purchased by Sumitomo Corporation.
The business law firm DWF has bought Cobbetts out of administration. Cobbetts is a law firm with offices in Birmingham, Leeds, London and Manchester. In a separate deal, DWF has completed a merger with Fishburns, in a move which enables DWF to expand into new markets in Bristol and Dublin.
UBM has agreed to sell most of its data services businesses to the private equity firm Electra Partners. The deal, worth £160m, includes the health, technology and IP,trade & transport, and paper business units.
The organic baby food company Plum UK has been acquired by the American food company Plum Organics. The companies have no previous connections, despite the similar names.
The London Black Cab manufacturer Manganese Bronze Holdings has been bought out of administration by Chinese automobile firm Geely. The £11m deal secures production of one of the most well known vehicles in London.
Practical Law Company, the provider of legal knowledge, transactional analysis and market intelligence for lawyers, has been purchased by Thomson Reuters.
HSBC has backed the management buyout of building materials manufacturer Naylor Industries. The company hopes to use the new finance to expand its export proposition.
Solfex Energy Systems, which specialises in renewable energy distribution, has been taken over by Travis Perkins. The deal will enable Travis Perkins to offer an expanded product range.
The power generation company Winder Power has completed a management buyout, backed by the private equity firm Enterprise Ventures and Bank of Ireland UK. Winder Power is expected to announce a 50% increase in sales in March 2013.
Global Betting Exchange, the operator of the Betdaq exchange business, has been purchased by Ladbrokes for £25m. Ladbrokes will use the acquisition to offer a full range of sports betting options.
The private equity firm Sun European Partners has acquired a majority stake in Paragon Print and Packaging, the packaging and outsourced services provider which was established in 1994.
The American private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management has purchased Admiral Taverns from Lloyds Banking Group.
X-Leisure, which owns 16 leisure parks across the UK, has been taken over by Land Securities in a £111.9m deal.
The UK’s largest independent ship repairer has been created following the purchase of Testbank Ship Repair by Burgess Marine. The combined business will employ 120 employees across six sites across the UK and have a turnover of £20m.
AV Technology, a leading provider of condition-based maintenance services and engineering consultancy, has been acquired by AES Engineering Group.
The semiconductor manufacturer IQE has acquired Kopin Corporation. The deal, worth £48m, includes Kopin’s manufacturing facility in Taiwan, which IQE hopes will enable it to establish itself in the Asian semiconductor market.
Citation, a provider of professional advice and compliance packages to 7,500 businesses across the UK, has been bought by the private equity firm ECI.
The private investment firm Cerberus Capital Management has acquired Admiral Taverns. The deal is completed following a three-year transformation of the business.
A management buyout has been completed at online fashion retail company BrandAlley UK, which sees it part company with News International.
The Hut Group has bought the online cycling retailer Probikekit.com from the private equity firm Encore Capital. Probikekit.com will be integrated into The Hut Group’s lifestyle division, which also contains Myprotein.
Enovate Systems, a leading technology company which specialises in subsea well control equipment, has been purchased by Aker Solutions.
The voice and data communications reseller Solar Communications has acquired Armstrong Communications.
Weir Group has sold LGE Process to Babcock International Group for £23m. LGE designs and builds plants for the processing, storage and handling of liquid gases.
Avis Budget Group has agreed to buy Zipcar in a deal which values the car sharing firm at £300m.
Royal Crown Derby (RCD) has been acquired by the ceramics manufacturer Steelite International. RCD makes a range of bone china tableware, giftware and collectables.
James Fisher and Sons has sold The Railway Engineering Company, a supplier of signalling training and assessment simulators, to Hitachi Europe.
MoneyPlus Group, a group of financial services companies which includes such as Chiltern Debt Management, Hamilton Locke, Debt Free Me and The Debt People, has purchased debt management company Personal Touch Debt Solutions.
Bunzl, an international distributor of non-food consumable products, has acquired the Canadian company McCordick Glove & Safety and the Australian company Atlas Health Care.
Advanced Business Solutions has purchased ATMS plc.