Premier Direct has acquired Books UK for £2.4m in order to expand its book distribution network... [more]

Hickson International is to be acquired by Arch Chemicals of the US for £97m enabling Arch to expand its international operations and increase its presence in the biocides and performance urethanes ma... [more]

Pearson has acquired The Forum Corporation the US management training company for £60m in order to expand its FT Knowledge subsidiary and develop a global education business... [more]

Centrica is to acquire Direct Energy the Canadian natural gas retailer for £406m and will use it as a platform for further North American growth... [more]

Access Plus the marketing services company is to acquire Software Stationery Holdings the supplier of printed products and print management services for up to £11m... [more]

Mersey Docks & Harbour is acquiring Imari the Irish logistics and port services group for £16m... [more]

Asprey & Garrard the upmarket jeweller has been acquired by the co-chairmen of US fashion group Tommy Hilfiger for undisclosed terms and they plan to open more stores... [more]

Cordiant Communications is acquiring Lighthouse Global Network of the US for £259m in order to expand its marketing services business... [more]

Chelford is to undergo a £12m reverse takeover of SSI the developer of e-business fulfilment software... [more]

Eskmuir Properties is to go private in a £135m deal that will return ownership to the Laing family... [more]

Culver Holdings the insurance broker is acquiring Aortech Systems the supplier of IT solutions to the travel industry for £4.5m... [more]

Cordiant Communications is to acquire Domino White & Partners the US marketing agency for up to £20m... [more]

Balfour Beatty is planning to acquire Integral Technologies the US developer of security and surveillance technology for up to £33m in order to increase the capabilities of its Andover Controls busine... [more]

WSP Group has acquired Cantor Seinuk Group the New York-based structural engineer for £7.9m in its first move into the US... [more]

BCO Technologies the Belfast-based electronics company has accepted a £100m takeover offer from Analog Devices of the US... [more]

InTechnology has announced a £165m reverse takeover of two data storage companies - Vdata and Storm - and plans to set up more data storage centres in the UK and Europe... [more]

J&J Dyson is acquiring Acme Marls of Stoke-on-Trent for £1.9m in order to become one of the world's leading manufacturers of kiln equipment... [more]

Metal Bulletin has acquired Atalink the publisher of annual titles for trade associations for £13m... [more]

Bupa has announced a £230m agreed takeover bid for Community Hospitals Group in order to become the UK's largest operator of private hospitals... [more]

Atlantic Telecom is to acquire First Telecom for £520m and plans to spend £100m expanding First Telecom's DSL network in Germany. ... [more]