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Top story
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Infinity launches £127m international fund
Manchester private equity and property fund manager Infinity has raised £123.9m ($200m) for a new fund to invest in businesses in the UK and internationally. The fund is Infinity’s third and brings the total assets under its management to more than £247m ($400m). More than half the fund is expected to be invested outside the UK.
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Deals
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New £9m private equity fund seeks opportunities
Manchester-based Aston Ventures is looking for "old economy" businesses in manufacturing and traditional industries to invest in on behalf of a new £9m private equity fund based on the Isle of Man and run by Knox House Group, a financial services business created by former Manchester financier Doug Barrowman.
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Lookers buys vehicle rental business
Fresh from announcing record financial results, Manchester car dealer Lookers has completed the acquisition of Get Motoring UK for an undisclosed sum.
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Great Fridays on song with EFG loan
Manchester digital agency Great Fridays, which is backed by rock star Peter Gabriel, has secured a £125,000 Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) loan from NatWest.
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TI Industrial on the up with scaffolding deal
Bolton-headquartered TI Industrial Group, a holding company for scaffolding and protective coatings businesses, has bought a majority stake in Project Scaffolding, based in the North East. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
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Business
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Purple patch for Vimto maker
Vimto maker Nichols, the quoted soft drinks company based in Newton-le-Willows, this morning posted record trading figures for 2010 following an “outstanding year”. The company also confirmed it has bought the remaining 50 per cent share in Dayla Liquid Packing for £2.3m.
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Speedy wins £12m Tesco deal
Plant hire business Speedy Hire has secured a sole supply framework agreement with Tesco worth £12m over the next two years.
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New focus for Cheshire tourism
Visit Chester and Cheshire, the tourism board for Cheshire and Warrington, is set to broaden its remit from next month as it looks to lose its reliance on public sector funding. A new umbrella organisation called Marketing Cheshire will be formed that will focus on place marketing and inward investment, as well as traditional visitor economy support.
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Property
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Peel reveals trade centre vision
North West property giant Peel Group has unveiled plans for an international trade centre that would enable up to a 1,000 companies from China, India, Korea and other emerging economies to exhibit, sell, assemble and distribute their goods into the European market. The group is considering two locations where it already owns land – West Float in Birkenhead or Ellesmere Port.
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Seddon set for housing schemes
Bolton-based Seddon Construction is set to deliver 145 new houses in the North West for projects worth a total of £11.5m.
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Hurstwood snaps up four
Hurstwood has snapped up four properties in the North West for a combined price of more than £750,000. The deals are for commercial properties in Greater Manchester.
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Other News
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Cut VAT to boost tourism, says Merlin boss
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Warburtons sells Newport site
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Don't raise interest rates, urges IoD
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Business confidence at a low ebb, finds survey
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