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St Helens-based electrical engineering business AT Group has today announced a secondary management buyout led by managing director Rob Rushton and funded by Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank. The original management buyout saw the directors acquire a 49 per cent stake in the company, with the remaining 51 per cent being acquired by Close Brothers Growth Capital, which has now sold out to the directors. The business employs 300 people and has a turnover of around £20m. 
S&D takes flight following Lombard funding S&D Leisure (Europe), a Manchester-based operator of mobile leisure and flight simulators, has merged with JG Services of Bedford and Smart Simulation of Leicester to form S&D Simulations, a new company that will run the largest independent fleet of mobile simulators in Europe. S&D will operate six mobile simulators, having recently purchased four new machines - a Formula One car and three flight simulators - in a £440,000 deal funded by Lombard, the asset finance arm of The Royal Bank of Scotland.
KBC looks the part Asset-based lender KBC Business Capital has funded the £20m management buyout of Imperial Multipart, the Chorley-based logistics firm. KBC, which funds mid-sized UK businesses with funding requirements starting at £2m, provided a revolving £15m asset-based lending package linked to accounts receivable and freehold property in support of the buyout. Multipart provides inventory and logistics management specialising in supplying spare parts and components to clients including LDV, Isuzu, Dennis Eagle, TVR and the British Army.
The North West had a strong showing in this year's Queen Birthday Honours List with awards made in the business and education sectors. Professor Drummond Bone, vice-chancellor of the University of Liverpool, former head of Universities UK and a Liverpool Culture Company board member since 2004, has been knighted for his services to higher education and to regeneration in the North West. And the principal of Trafford College Bill Moorcroft, former has also been knighted for his work in further education. He has been commended for the successful merger of South Trafford College and North Trafford College in September 2007 and transformed it to become the first further education college to be assessed as outstanding by Ofsted. Meanwhile, Michael Damms, chief executive of East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, has received an MBE for services to business in the North West.
Hale welcomes The Barracuda One of the UK's highest-profile divorce lawyers is opening a new office in Hale. Nicknamed "The Barracuda", Marilyn Stowe has earned her reputation after representing clients including footballers' wives, aristocrats and rock stars' spouses. The Yorkshire-born lawyer is also well-known in this region for her tireless pro-bono work. The decision to open in Hale has come on the back of client demand. Many of her firm's current clients are based in Cheshire and Greater Manchester.
Rovers enters digital age Blackburn Rovers FC is set to go digital from next season with the arrival of a high-tech perimeter advertising system at Ewood Park. The 61cm LED boards will be installed over the summer in time for next season and will run for 220m goal to goal in view of the TV cameras.
Stephen Cliff, development director at Manchester developer Ask, is to leave to set up his own development business. Cliff, who will stay at Ask over the summer, said: "I have had six enjoyable and rewarding years at Ask. But I am approaching the seven-year itch and the time is now right for me to venture out on my own." Along with Adam Higgins, who left for Property Alliance in October 2007, Cliff was regarded as one of Ask's next generation.
Ainscow moves to buy out partner Barratt Carol Ainscow's Artisan is in talks to buy out Barratt's stake in the BASE joint venture, which currently has £200m worth of affordable housing projects in Greater Manchester. Troubled housebuilder Barratt has seen its share price in freefall this year and is also looking to sell Wilson Bowden Developments. Ainscow, who earlier this year took over the Moor project in Sheffield from partner RREEF, said she expects the housing market to turn in "around 12 months' time".
Pinsents' team takes shape The Manchester office of HKR Architects is to lead the design team for the fit-out of law firm Pinsent Masons' new 35,000 sq ft office at Spinningfields. HKR associate Simon Millington said: "What makes this project unique is the progressive attitude of the client. We've been told to be original and modern in terms of the functionality of the floorplates." Buro Four has been appointed as project manager, Arcadis AYH as cost consultant and Troup Bywaters & Anders as mechanical and electrical designer.
Among the many business events taking place across the North West this week, look out for the Food Northwest Awards 2008, being held at the ACC Liverpool on Thursday night and Professional services organisation Pro.Manchester holds its AGM lunch on Thursday with chairman elect Simon Oldfield as speaker. And from Wednesday until the end of the week Manchester’s Museum of Science & Industry plays host to b.TWEEN, a cross-media forum for northern creative businesses.
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