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Banks set to sell Alliance Boots debt
The group of eight banks that has been holding Alliance Boots £9bn debt since underwriting last years £11bn private equity buyout deal are set to sell it off, according to reports. Deutsche Bank is looking to secure approval this week from the other banks to start the sale. The plan would need the agreement of all banks in the group, which includes Citigroup, JP Morgan, Unicredit, Merrill Lynch and Bank of America. Investors have been advised that a price of about 91 per cent of the face value of the loans is expected.
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Sweet results for Thorntons
Thorntons has reported steady growth despite a testing Easter. The Derbyshire chocolatier recorded 8.5 per cent growth in turnover to £52.4m in the last quarter the sixth consecutive quarter of growth. Own-store sales were 5.1 per cent higher and like-for-like sales were up 0.5 per cent. Franchise sales grew 12.6 per cent to £3.6m as a result of store openings in the first half of this financial year. Commercial sales continued to perform strongly with sales up 14.5 per cent to £12.8m, driven by new seasonal product listings with existing customers. 
Power On Connections boss wins 42 Under 42 title
Andrew Springhall, finance director at Leicestershires Power On Connections, has been named East Midlands Entrepreneur of the Year Award at Insiders 42 Under 42 awards. Springhall won the title because judges were impressed by the way he drove the independent, electricity connection companys turnover up by 130 per cent last year, putting it on course for an income of £19m.
Catalis on track with new contract win
Derby rail training company Catalis has won a three-year contract to run courses for train company National Express East Coast. National Express runs passenger services on the East Coast main line between London King's Cross, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland. The courses will be run by Catalis at rail depots in London, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
Checkprint walking tall
Cheque and payment solutions business Checkprint, which is based in Hinckley and part of the Tall Group, has won the contract to produce 2.8 million official registration documents for the Dominican Republic government. A contract has also been won for the National Registration Bureau in Kenya to produce nearly a million citizen registration forms. The Tall Group has also won a tender to produce 2.3 million cheques for the Bank of Abyssinia in Ethiopia.
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Label Apeel shows its bottle with acquisition
Adhesive labelling design and manufacturer specialist Label Apeel has acquired Thurmaston competitor Label Studio. Leicester-based Label Apeel, which specialises in the food, retailing, manufacturing and pharmacy sectors, took Label Studio out of administration after the latters collapse earlier this year. Label Apeel will acquire the assets and substantial goodwill of the business under the deal. It also takes on two of the former Label Studio team, managing director Dave Cox and customer service manager. Manufacturing will move to Label Apeels plant.
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Henry Davidson proves to be good neighbour
Developer Henry Davidson Developments has acquired a two-acre site in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, on which to build a £4m neighbourhood centre. Work on the centre, off Papplewick Lane, is expected to start in spring 2010 and will complete in winter 2010. The scheme will comprise 9,000 sq ft of retail space, a pub, health centre and day nursery. The site is the latest to be purchased under a geared £100m funding arrangement with Development Securities.
Evans secures M1 contract
Pre-cast concrete company Evans Concrete has secured a £525,000 contract for work on the M1 widening programme between junctions 25 and 28. Evans will design, supply and instal pre-cast retaining walls. The walls will enable the earth to be built up either side of the motorway so it can be widened. The work has been awarded by MVM, a joint venture between Sir Robert McAlpine, Vinci and Morgan Est, for the Highways Agency.
Clegg strikes Outlaws deal
Nottingham building contractor Clegg Construction has struck a deal to become shirt sponsor for Notts Outlaws' Twenty20 Cup campaign. The new shirt will be worn for the first time when the Outlaws begin their Twenty20 programme against Yorkshire at Headingley on Friday 13 June, ahead of Durhams visit to Trent Bridge the next day.
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Derby man heads up national body
Chris Brown, partner at Derby estate agency Boxall, Brown and Jones, has been elected president of the National Association of Estate Agents. Brown takes up the position at a critical time for the industry, which is experiencing a a housing slowdown after a 15-year boom. He led the creation of the Business Improvement District for Derbys Cathedral Quarter, where his business is based.
Noonan directs operations at Interfleet
Derby rail consultancy Interfleet Technology has appointed Stephen Noonan as director of US operations. He will be responsible for technical resources to projects and co-ordinate resources among Interfleet's international operations.
Cartwright King appoints Wheeler
Cartwright King has appointed Sanchia Wheeler, a non-practising barrister, as a civil liberties specialist. She will handle a variety of cases including actions against public authorities and the police as well as judicial review work. Prior to joining Cartwright King, Wheeler worked in the legal department for a local authority in London.
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