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The week in deals

by Carryn Dewing - Friday, 11th April 2008 -

The week in deals

Here are some of the deals that have been done at the smaller end of the market this week.

Solicitors Own Software, the Bath-based software developer with 37 staff, has undergone a management buy-out following the planned retirement of founder Michael Platt. The new management team includes directors Keith Denman, Elaine Galvin, Graham Colbourne, Stephen Parry and David McNamara. Platt notes: “I firmly believe that this is the best outcome for clients and staff. I am leaving SOS in the safest hands.” The financial details of the MBO were not disclosed.

FD Systems has acquired BGM Business Solutions, the retail technology firm with offices in Milton Keynes and Oxford. Nigel Griffiths, commercial director of FD Systems, says: “Our presence in Milton Keynes and Oxford provides an important boost for the geographic growth of FD Systems.”

Grontmij has acquired Roger Preston & Partners, the Maidenhead-based building services firm with 160 staff and annual turnover of £12m, reportedly for £13m. Headquartered in Maidenhead, with a substantial office in Poland and activities in Germany, North America and Asia, Roger Preston & Partners, brings more than 75 years of experience in building consultancy.

Vp has acquired Redding Hire, the Northamptonshire-based construction equipment rental firm, for £2.9m. Redding will operate within Vp's Groundforce division. Jeremy Pilkington, chairman of Vp comments: “We are very pleased to acquire the Redding business which will further strengthen Groundforce's geographical distribution and customer base.”

Hydro Group has secured £4m of financial backing from Clydesdale Bank to develop new subsea research and engineering test facilities at Aberdeen Science & Energy Park.

Flowcrete, the Cheshire-based supplier of flooring systems, has been acquired by RPM of the US for about £35m. Chair and Real Business columnist Dawn Gibbins MBE says: “Flowcrete has been a central part of my life for 25 years but I am glad it is being transferred into the ownership of such an entrepreneurial company as RPM, under a deal that gives the company a platform for growth, stability and success.” Gibbins plans to invest £2m starting up a new business called Barefoot Living.

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BUSINESS NEWS >>

Dragon Peter Jones says, "Clone me!"

By Rebecca Burn-Callander - July 03, 2009 11:28am GMT

Real Business spent an eventful cab ride with Dragons' Den's tallest investor earlier this week. Here's what he had to say about the recession, James Caan, his search for Peter Jones lookalikes and, most importantly, the next series of Dragons' Den.

Businesses to run in a recession: part three

By Rebecca Burn-Callander - July 02, 2009 4:43pm GMT

Even in a recession, a good entrepreneur is always on the look-out for the next hot spot. Don’t wait around for the upturn. These are the businesses you want to be in now.

Access takes another step towards sales target

By Catherine Woods - July 02, 2009 4:33pm GMT

Access founder Alistair O’Reilly has embarked on a “brand elevation” exercise as he aims to grow turnover at his consulting and software company to £100m.

Tech entrepreneur: "The banks won't lend you an umbrella when it rains"

By Rebecca Burn-Callander - July 02, 2009 4:22pm GMT

At a roundtable hosted by Dell this morning, Real Business heard three technology entrepreneurs talk about the challenges of growing a business during the recession. People aren't the problem, they say. It's the mindset of banks and other financial institutions that needs to change if we're to come out of recession.

Government fund provides a "timely injection of capital"

By Catherine Woods - July 02, 2009 4:06pm GMT

Octopus Ventures, which invests in entrepreneurial businesses, has welcomed the governments’ proposed £1bn innovation fund, saying it will support entrepreneurialism.

Brochures on Saving and investing

BUSINESS COMMENT >>

The first Apprentice wedding!

By Catherine Woods - July 03, 2009 2:35pm GMT

Well, well, well, look who’s engaged.

Sir Alan Sugar: "You're hired!"

By Rebecca Burn-Callander - July 01, 2009 1:12pm GMT

Great piece by The Telegraph's Richard Tyler today about the confirmed appointment of Sir Alan Sugar to the post of enterprise tsar. "A tentative date of July 20th has been pencilled in for his hairiness to don the rabbit fur," he says.

Pre-stained underwear: the next big thing?

By Rebecca Burn-Callander - June 22, 2009 2:54pm GMT

That's right. "Pre-stained". Suspend your disbelief for a moment. Canadian entrepreneur Philip Watson founded Easy Tiger Corp to peddle underwear that has been - ahem - ready-soiled, shall we say. And he reckons these nasty knickers will be a surefire hit with "the dudes".

It can only be... the Friday Funnies

By Rebecca Burn-Callander - June 12, 2009 12:16pm GMT

As swine flu hits the headlines for the second time, the swine flu jokes are just pouring in! Laugh till you oink, readers.

Jokes. Jokes. Jokes.

By Rebecca Burn-Callander - June 05, 2009 12:14pm GMT

Further to popular demand, this week we're devoting a whole section of our jokes blog to our hapless prime minister, Gordon Brown.

Business Comment 

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