Circuit boards firm snapped up

A SMALL Lancashire company which supplies the printed circuit board sector has been snapped up by a Midlands firm.

Option Technologies, which has nine staff based at the Carrs Industrial Estate in Haslingden, has been bought by Ventec Holdings Europe, a Warwickshire-based manufacturer of components for printed circuit board sector.

Financial terms of the deal,were not disclosed. Ventec, which was
advised by Lancashire accountants Moore & Smalley, has acquired the plant and machinery, stock, order book, company name and goodwill of Option Technologies Europe Limited via its subsidiary company Ventec-Option Limited.

All employees have been transferred to the new business that will continue to trade as Option Technologies. The new owners are already looking to hire extra people.

Mark Goodwin, managing director of Ventec Holdings Europe  said: “Ventec is the fastest-growing laminate and pre-preg supplier in Europe and this acquisition is the latest step in our European business development strategy and will deliver further added-value services to a growing customer base.

“A new management team will complement the skills and long-term experience of the Option Technologies employees and we will be investing in the Haslingden facility to further improve its quick-turn manufacturing capability.”

The Moore and Smalley team that advised on the transaction, included corporate finance director, Stephen Gregson, corporate finance manager Paul Bennett, tax partner Rachel Marsdin, and corporate services director Richard Hall.

Stephen Gregson, corporate finance director at Moore and Smalley, said: “Not only does this acquisition significantly improve Ventec’s manufacturing capabilities by combining the firms’ respective expertise in PCB components; it also secures jobs and investment at Option Technologies’ site in Lancashire, which is great news for the local area.”