Utilitec has sold its Kenton Utilities mechanical and civil engineering business to a management buy-out for £13m... [more]

Critchley the manufacturer of electronic tagging systems has accepted a £122m takeover bid from Tyco of the US... [more]

Marconi has acquired Australian Communication Solutions the supplier of network design services for £28m... [more]

Batleys has acquired Seddons Seedfeeds the petfood wholesaler for undisclosed terms... [more]

Finelist has recommended a £159m takeover offer from a group of private equity funds and the business will be merged with French car parts distributor Autodis... [more]

Ward Knowles the Accrington-based printing company with turnover of £12m has been sold to management for undisclosed terms... [more]

United Kenning Rental Group the car and commercial vehicle rental company has been acquired by Sixt Rent A Car of Germany for undisclosed terms... [more]

1T&D Industries the Bradford-based steel drums business has been bought out of receivership by a management team saving 250 jobs... [more]

Cox Insurance has acquired West Midlands-based Argent Insurance Group and the wholesale broker operation Brokersure for a total £1.4m. ... [more]

Care UK has acquired Direct Manpower the supplier of healthcare professionals to NHS trusts for £2m... [more]

National Westminster Bank has accepted the takeover bid from the Royal Bank of Scotland which will lead to the creation of the UK's third largest bank and the loss of up to 14500 jobs... [more]

Science Systems the software company is to buy CODA from Baan of the Netherlands for £32m as part of a strategy to become a leader in the field of internet-based financial services... [more]

Bobcat has acquired Sambron the French telescopic handling specialist for undisclosed terms... [more]

PowerGen has sold East Midlands Electricity Contracting to ABB for undisclosed terms... [more]

InterX is to merge with Cromwell Media in a £226m deal in order to gain access to software tools for the development of its hardware distribution business... [more]

WPP Group has acquired Rada Recruitment Communications through its J Walter Thompson Specialised Communications division for undisclosed terms... [more]

Tibbett & Britten has acquired Integrated Systems Logistic the Polish distributor of frozen foods for undisclosed terms as part of a strategy to expand its logistics business in central Europe... [more]

Paragon Software the Newbury-based developer of mobile phone software has been acquired by Phone.com of the US for £314m... [more]

RPS Group is acquiring Environmental Engineering Limited of Ireland for £7.3m... [more]

Riva Group is selling its Business Solutions Division to eXegeSys of the US as part of a restructuring by Riva's parent company Anker that will leave Westhoughton as the group's European head office... [more]