Simmons & Simmons in association with TMI Associates has advised Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (SRI) on its £215m acquisition of leading car tyre distributor and retailer Micheldever from private equity fund Graphite Capital Management.

The acquisition represents a significant strategic milestone for SRI as it plans to expand its business in Europe and North America as part of its long-term “VISION 2020”.

Through its combined specialist resources, the joint venture between Simmons & Simmons and TMI Associates provides its clients with full-service, multi-jurisdictional advice across all areas of law as well as a fully bilingual English and Japanese language service.

Commenting on the transaction, Simmons & Simmons corporate partner Jason Daniel, said: "It was a pleasure to work with the SRI team on this landmark deal. We are proud to have helped SRI achieve its latest strategic milestone as it continues to grow its global business. This transaction showcased the effectiveness of Simmons & Simmons’s unique association with TMI Associates and the multi-jurisdictional expertise offered to clients across all practice areas."

The Simmons & Simmons team was led in London by Simmons & Simmons corporate partner Jason Daniel, supported principally by associates Tom Fricke, Lucia He and Katie O’Mahoney, pensions and incentives partner Ian Fraser and associate Kimberley Sayers, tax partner Nick Cronkshaw and associate Celia Carr, banking partner Alistair Hill, competition partner Peter Broadhurst and associates Ajit Kainth and Shachi Nathdwarawala, real estate partner Nick Jones and associate Caroline Turner-Inskip, environment partner Steve McNab, employment partner Andrea Finn and associate Peter Lockwood, ICT partner Alex Brown and associate Gurdip Khatra, IP partner Angus McLean and associate Jack Simmons, and disputes associate Kenichi Kinukawa.

In Tokyo the team was led by TMI Associates corporate partner Hidehiro Utsumi and Simmons & Simmons Tokyo office head Richard Kramer.