Smallbone swoops for kitchens rival

UPMARKET kitchen-maker Smallbone is buying rival Mark Wilkinson Furniture (MWF) in a deal worth up to £5.6m.

Mark Wilkinson and his wife Cynthia will join the Smallbone board and will continue to run the business as a separate entity.

Chief executive Charlie Smallbone said the acquisition would create one of Europe's largest bespoke kitchen manufacturers with an estimated 15% share and would help accelerate plans to grow in new markets such as the US. Mark Wilkinson and Smallbone were partners when Smallbone was founded 25 years ago.

The deal will be partly funded by new Smallbone shares, giving the Wilkinsons just over 8% of the group and and making them the second-largest shareholders. Smallbone said current trading was encouraging, with order books 15% ahead of a year ago.