M3 Agency, the industrial property agency with offices in Sheffield, Birmingham and London, has been acquired by CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) for an undisclosed fee. Global property consultancy CBRE said it had purchased M3 to develop its industrial services offering in the UK and across Europe. Founded in 2000, the 20-strong M3 team will be fully integrated into CBRE. Richard Moffitt, managing partner at M3, said: “The company’s global platform, formidable client base and strength across all property sectors will bring new opportunities for us and allow us to further develop and grow our industrial business.” For Insider comment, click here.

Concorde Informatics, the IT services and solutions company based in Leeds, has acquired Blackburn-based rival Control Key for an undisclosed sum. Control Key specialises in IT network management and security and the deal enables Concorde to expand into Lancashire. Colin Meakin, Concorde’s chief executive, said: “Having the Blackburn team as part of our expanding group will allow us to springboard our enlarged services portfolio into the Lancashire area and increase our coverage accordingly.” Concorde Informatics is owned by Concorde Excel Holdings. For Insider comment, click here.

The UK’s largest coal producer, Doncaster-based UK Coal, this morning reported that it was in discussions about a possible merger, but reiterated “there is no certainty that a transaction will result”. The company, which last month posted a pre-tax loss of £129.1m for the year to 31 December 2009, said in March that it had been approached about a merger to counter press speculation. In April, Hargreaves Services, commenting on a possible deal with UK Coal to unite the companies' Kellingley and Maltby pits, told the Stock Exchange that there had been “unavoidable delays” to its due diligence.

Healthcare is the sector in which private equity investors are most likely to strike a deal over the next year, according to research by Grant Thornton. Fifty per cent of respondents identified it as their preferred sector, while 52 per cent said they had engaged with healthcare more than any other sector in the past 12 months. Additionally, respondents expect to pay an eight times EBITDA multiple for deals in the sector in the next year, ranking it alongside the media and communications sector.

Property investment and development company Town Centre Securities (TCS) this morning said it was in a sound financial position to “take advantage of any sustained improvement in the economic environment”. The Leeds-based company, which last year reported a tenfold increase in its losses to £111.6m, said that the improvement in market conditions reported in its half-yearly report had continued for the period to 13 May 2010. TCS said its strong investment portfolio and its commitment to value for money retailing was an advantage as it targets future growth opportunites for its property portfolio and car parking business.

Sovereign Health Care, one of Bradford’s oldest companies, has reported a turnover of £10.8m for 2009 and is predicting a sales growth of up to 30 per cent for the coming year. The not-for-dividend organisation, established in 1873, also reported an operating profit of £800,000 in 2009.

Sheffield is well positioned to capitalise on civil service relocations out of Whitehall as the government looks to make major efficiencies. Speaking yesterday at the launch of the city’s newest office development, Crown House, Creative Sheffield chief executive Paul Firth said his understanding was that the new government was still keen to drive relocations away from Whitehall. “What a city like Sheffield really needs is good quality office accommodation such as this, if and when government relocations take place.” However six-storey Crown House opposite Sheffield Crown Court is likely to be the only major speculative office build in the city this year. The scheme has been built by local developer Sheer Challenge, run by the Manzoor family, who originally gained funding for the project just before the market crashed. Added Firth: “The family ought to be congratulated on seeing this project through in such difficult economic circumstances.”

Economist Gavyn Davies was a principal guest of the Master Cutler at the 374th Cutlers’ Feast, held last night at Cutlers’ Hall, Sheffield. After a landmark week in British politics, the former BBC chairman said he believed manufacturing would be crucial to the UK’s economic recovery. Davies said: “With the banking sector contracting, public spending being sharply cut, and tax rises hitting consumers, Britain will have no choice but to export its way out of trouble. It cannot do this without the success, profitability and expansion of the industries represented in this room. If the new government does not already know this, then it will very soon find out.”

Trustmarque Solutions’ Vicky Godliman won the top prize at the Yorkshire Rising Stars of the Year awards last night. Godliman, financial controller at the York–based IT and software firm, was named overall Yorkshire Rising Star of the year. She also won the award for Yorkshire companies with a £70m to £150m turnover. The awards, which celebrate young talent in accounting and finance, were held at the Cedar Court Hotel, Wakefield. Guest speaker at the event was Sheffield Wednesday FC chairman Lee Strafford.

AWA, the Leeds-based digital design agency, has been appointed to develop the online division of the UK Education Programme, created by global defence company BAE Systems. AWA will expand the programme’s website to promote engineering as a career to schoolchildren and provide teachers with additional online resources. The agency will also support a Schools Roadshow, through which 300 schools will be visited by BAE chiefs in 2010. BAE joins several high-profile clients to have employed AWA, including Asda and Pets at Home.

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In his weekly blog, Yorkshire Business Insider editor Jim Pendrill says business knows tax rises on are on the way, but when? Jim says, “There is no doubt that a significant CGT rise could provide the spark for a rush of deals activity ahead of spring 2011.” To read more of Jim’s blog, click here.

Welcome to Yorkshire has appointed David Friesner as the new chief executive for South Yorkshire. Friesner, previously a director of tourism at Leicestershire tourism body Leicester Shire Promotions is tasked with boosting South Yorkshire’s tourism profile. Friesner said: “South Yorkshire is very fortunate in that it appeals to both leisure and business visitors alike. Over the coming weeks I will be meeting tourism operators from across the industry to look at ways of building on previous successes.”

Hull University Business School will host the World Maritime Showcase 2010 on 17 May. The conference is touring different venues around the UK throughout the week, highlighting business opportunities in the £2 tn global maritime industry. Organised by UK Trade & Investment in association with World Trade Centre Hull & Humber, the event at Hull University will focus on the maritime industries of Finland, India, Libya, Mexico and Vietnam.

Welcome to Yorkshire has announced a £500,000 initiative to target growth across the region’s business tourism sector. The agency estimates tourism brings £1.6bn into the region’s economy each year and intends to build on national statistics which reveal Yorkshire has the UK’s fastest growing tourism industry. Working closely with Conference Leeds, York & Scarborough Conferences, Conference Yorkshire South and Hull & East Yorkshire Conferences, the focus will be converting awareness and interest in Yorkshire’s venues into solid bookings and business.

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Morgan Ashurst, the Leeds-based construction company, has secured a contract to build four state-of-the-art primary healthcare facilities in Barnsley. The £13.3m project by healthcare developer Barnsley Community Solutions will offer a range of medical services introduced by the NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust public private partnerships.