Deal round-up 15/02/02

3i has backed a management buyout of the Finnish and Norwegian operations of Merivaara, the hospital furniture division of Instrumentarium, a medical equipment manufacturer based in Finland.

Financial details for the acquisition were not disclosed, although it was confirmed that the acquired operations posted a turnover of E23m in 2001. The deal is expected to complete in March.

Grant Thornton Corporate Finance backs packaging MBO

The management of John Hampden Packaging has completed a secondary MBO of the textile packaging manufacturer. The team raised £2.6m of acquisition and working capital finance to buy the shares held by Gresham Trust, which financed the original management buyout of the company in 1991. The MBO team was backed by Grant Thornton Corporate Finance.