Hitachi Power Tools acquired a majority stake in Metabo AG from financial investor Chequers Capital. The completion of the transaction is still subject to approval by the relevant antitrust authorities.

Metabo AG, headquartered in Nürtingen with production facilities in Shanghai, is a traditional manufacturer of power tools and supplier of accessories for professional users. With 1800 employees worldwide, the company provides equipment and accessories, in particular, for metal crafts and the metal industry, as well as for the building trade and renovation work.

International law firm Hill Dickinson has advised on the management buy-out of Manchester-based cruise deal specialist Cruise1st from Royal Caribbean Cruises, as it gears up for significant growth and broadens its product range to increase market share.

Rhian Hughes from Hill Dickinson’s corporate team led the transaction, which will allow the company to grow independently and continue to offer its customers a streamlined service offering through product, technology and efficiency. Cruise1st already has a 40 per cent repeat customer base.

DLA Piper has advised Duke Street and Europa Capital on the sale of their respective investments in SandpiperCI to a consortium of Channel Islands based investors.

SandpiperCI is the Channel Islands’ leading retailer, operating 55 stores in the Channel Islands and 9 internationally. This transaction brings to an end Duke Street and Europa’s investment in the Sandpiper Group, which was acquired in 2007.

Burges Salmon has advised the shareholders of Orange Mountain Bikes (OMB), one of the UK’s most successful performance mountain bike manufacturers, on the sale of the company to Bairstows, its main UK frame supplier.

OMB led the field in the development of the initial mountain bike revolution in the UK and created some of the most iconic performance mountain bikes in the world. Its sale to Bairstows will help to secure quality engineering and pioneering technology in the UK performance mountain bike industry.

Schoenherr, alongside Willkie Farr & Gallagher, advised premier specialty chemicals company Albemarle Corporation on the sale of its Tribotecc metal sulfides business to Treibacher Industrie AG, an international leading player in the chemistry and metallurgy sectors. The transaction, which was announced on 5 November 2015 and is expected to close by the end of 2015 following regulatory approvals, includes Tribotecc sites in Vienna and Arnoldstein, Austria and the firm's proprietary sulfide synthesis process.

Eversheds has advised European private equity investor Equistone and the management sellers on the $252m (£126m) sale of Worldmark to Canadian-based CCL Industries.

Equistone is one of Europe’s leading lower mid-market private equity investors and held a majority equity stake in Worldmark alongside the management team since 2007.

Macfarlanes has advised Altria Group, Inc., the largest shareholder in beer and soft drinks producer SABMiller, on the £71bn offer from rival brewer AB Inbev and Altria’s investment in the enlarged group.

Altria currently owns 27% of SABMiller.

The Macfarlanes team was led by corporate M&A partner Graham Gibb.

Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has acted for Aviva Investors on the sale of a 50% stake in a central London portfolio to PSP Investments, one of Canada’s largest pension investment managers. The initial portfolio comprises a mix of both stabilised income-generating assets and development opportunities in both the City and West End of London.

The new 50/50 joint venture partnership has a mandate to invest in central London real estate. Aviva Investors will act as asset and development manager.

Kuoni Group (SIX: KUNN) announced on November 10, 2015 that it completed the sale of its Hong Kong tour operating business to Thomas Cook (India) Ltd.

The completion of the sale of the outbound travel and destination management activities in India is expected to be completed by the end of 2015. Upon the completion of this disposal, Kuoni Group will have successfully implemented the exit from its global tour operating business that was publicly announced on January 14, 2015.

Today, Topcon Europe B.V., a subsidiary of the Japanese Topcon Corporation, launched a voluntary public purchase offer for 50.1 percent of the shares in ifa systems AG at a price of EUR 15.20 per share.