India's Tata Chemicals has bought British chemicals business Brunner Mond for £65m, the latest Indian firm to buy into the UK.
Tata Chemicals, part of the Tata Group conglomerate, has acquired a 63% stake in the Cheshire-based firm from Barclays Bank and Wayland Investments.
Brunner Mond is a leading manufacturer of soda ash, which is used to produce glass, soap and detergents.
A buoyant domestic economy is enabling Indian firms to expand abroad.
Expansion trend
According to Reuters, Indian companies have spent £300m on buying interests in the UK alone this year.
Significant deals have included the £80m purchase of the Typhoo tea business by Apeejay Surrendra Group.
Last month, Brunner Mond revealed that it was in talks with Tata Chemicals about a possible deal.
In addition to its UK headquarters, Brunner Mond has manufacturing plants in the Netherlands and Kenya.
It is also a leading producer of sodium bicarbonate.
Tata Chemicals has been looking to grow its business outside India and recently lost out in a bid to buy a top Egyptian firm.
The acquisition of Brunner Mond should double its annual production of soda ash to more than two million tonnes.
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