July 2nd headlines

In today's news round up, deals signed off include PicoChip raising £13 million venture capital funding and Alternative Hotel Group acquiring catering and restaurant company Searcy for about £30 million.

Done Deals:

• PicoChip has raised more than £13 million from US venture capital firm Highland Capital Partners to fund the expansion of its wireless technology business

• Construction firm RR Richardson has acquired building repair and maintenance company SGMS for an undisclosed sum

• Vegetable supplier Bomfords has gone into administration

• Civil engineering solutions company Holleran Group has acquired pipeline contractor G & J Engineering for an undisclosed sum

• Domestic cleaning business Myhome International has acquired the stain removal and upholstery cleaning franchise Stainbusters for £400,000

• Grant Thornton has taken thermoplastic engineering company Brittanic Precision into administration

• Energy support service provider Cape has acquired refinery decontamination systems suppliers Endecon for an initial £2 million

• Metal components manufacturers Metal Spinners has undergone a management buy-out and plans a multi-million pound investment programme

• Chesterfield-based supplier of injection moulding machines Ferromatik Milacron UK has undergone a management buy-out for an undisclosed sum

• Sadofskys has acquired Grassby & Co, adding to its chartered accountancy portfolio, for undisclosed terms

• Catering and restaurant company Searcy has been acquired by Alternative Hotel Group for around £30 million

• D & D London restaurateur is to acquire Image Restaurants for more than £5 million

Deals about to happen….

• Debt Free Direct is set to acquire Clear Start for £11 million, adding to its consumer debt advice portfolio

• Mediasurface is to acquire web Immediacy for £5.6 million, adding to its content management software developing service

• Acheson & Glover, based in Northern Ireland, is to invest £7 million in the expansion of its building materials business

• Credit analysis and advice firm Experian is set to acquire a 65% stake in Brazilian credit bureau Serasa for £600 million

• Commercial property agency Lambert Smith Hampton is to undergo a £46 million management buy-out from WS Atkins

• Nviro Cleantech plans to raise up to £15 million in a flotation this month to fund the commercialisation of clean technologies developed at universities

• Holding company Tricorn Group is acquiring pipe assemblies and fittings supplier Maxpower Automative for £1.5 million

• Security and risk management company Aegis is to acquire US online advertising business Bluestreak for £6.3 million

• Over 50s car insurers Saga is to merge with AA motor breakdown services for undisclosed terms

• Filtrona’s consumer packaging business Globalpack is being bought by Brazil-based automotive and packaging company Itavema Group for $56 million (£28 million)

• PacketExchange plans to float its internet network business, raising up to £250 million