♦  Ametek has bought Muirhead Aerospace, the London-based manufacturer of motion technology products including actuators and linear motors, and supplier of avionics repair and overhaul services. Muirhead’s owner, US-based Esterline Corporation, expects an after-tax gain of about $16m on the sale. Muirhead’s 2008 sales are worth an estimated $54m.

♦  Deritend Industries and Taylor & Goodman have taken over parts of the Birmingham-based Delton Group after it entered administration. Deritend has acquired the mechanical and engineering services business H&K Industrial Services, while Taylor & Goodman has acquired Delton Electric, which specialises in supplying and servicing motors, generators and transformers.

♦  US-based Avnet has acquired the UK-based component distributor Abacus in a deal valuing the company at about £42.2m. Abacus operates in ten European countries and has an Asian operation in Hong Kong.

♦  The Luton-based motor and pump manufacturer Hayward Tyler has delivered three 2.5MW subsea motors, thought to be the biggest of their type ever built. The variable-speed, super-synchronous motors were ordered by Aker Kvaerner Subsea to drive seawater injection pumps for the StatoilHydro Tyrihans project in the Norwegian Sea. The motors, designed to run at 2,500-4,000 rpm, have 11kV insulation and will operate 31.4km from the Kristin platform – thought to be the world’s longest step-out.