2 February 2007

A NORTH EAST liquid chemical bulk storage, blending and contract packing business has been sold in a major deal advised by Harrogate solicitors Barber Titleys.

MP Storage & Blending Limited, Cargo Fleet, Middlesbrough was advised by Barber Titleys corporate department in its acquisition by Runcorn-based Banner Chemicals Limited.

MP Storage & Blending Limited, which was founded in 1986, was acquired by Banner Chemicals Limited, which also has bases in Liverpool and Stratford, London, for a significant but undisclosed sum.

The Middlesbrough business, which operated from its five-acre site where it worked for major international companies including Croda and BASF, had been approached over a possible acquisition by Banner Chemicals Limited early in 2006.

As well as enabling Banner Chemicals Limited to provide its clients with a wider range of facilities, the acquisition also creates a new Northern base for the company whose Stratford site is within the area undergoing redevelopment for the London Olympics in 2012.

Owner and managing director of MP Storage & Blending Limited, Alexander Appleton, who lives in Thirsk, says: “We built a substantial customer base and reputation with MP Storage & Blending Limited during more than 20 years trading. I am pleased to have completed this deal and am delighted with what Barber Titleys achieved for us.”

The MP Storage & Blending Limited legal team was led by partner, Martin Blackham who handled all legal requirements connected with the share sale and Barber Titleys partner, James Grimshaw who managed all property aspects of the sale.

Martin Blackham says: “This deal concludes a very busy twelve months for our corporate department over a wide range of business deals including the sale of a major North Yorkshire hotel and the acquisition of a financial services company on Tyneside.

“The MP Storage & Blending deal demonstrates that our expertise is increasingly recognised well outside the Harrogate area.”

London law firm Fox Williams LLP advised Banner Chemicals in the acquisition.

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Press contact: Mike Clarke, Mike Clarke Communications. Tel (01423) 568847.