SHEFFIELD LAWYERS ADVISE ON SIBELCO ACQUISITION

22nd January 2013

Lawyers from DLA Piper's Sheffield office have advised industrial minerals business, Sibelco UK, on its acquisition of Viaton Industries Limited for an undisclosed sum.

Viaton is a family owned-business in Derbyshire with over 40 employees and a turnover of more than £9 million. The business specialises in barite minerals for use in chemicals and coatings and is one of Europe's largest processors of mineral based products in the field of particle size modification. It runs a manufacturing plant in Derbyshire and also undertakes contract processing services in particle size reduction, classifying, blending and mixing. The acquisition allows Sibelco to expand its product offering into this specialist area for the first time, strengthening its presence in its core markets. Richard May led the DLA Piper team alongside Anna Lewis from the Corporate team and Vikki McKay who provided Real Estate advice. Richard said: "this is a strategic acquisition for Sibelco which provides the business with an established platform to enter a new area of mineral production and roll out an improved offering for its customers. This is a significant deal in the region, marking a successful exit for Viaton's shareholders whilst adding a considerable product line to Sibelco's portfolio." Mark James, managing director of Sibelco UK added: "Viaton represents an exciting addition to the Sibelco Group. We look forward to providing Viaton's customers with the same high standards of service and product innovation, now with a wider mineral offering." The Viaton plant will immediately become fully integrated into Sibelco UK's operations. Freeth Cartwright advised the shareholders of Viaton Industries.