YET another major takeover has been negotiated by Selby accountancy firm J W Pickles & Company - the latest of five deals with a combined value of more than £15 million since the beginning of the year.

This time the firm advised asbestos abatement company Rhodar Ltd on its acquisition of Western Thermal Company (Taunton) Ltd.

With a staff of 170, seven existing branches and an annual turnover of £15 million, 30-year-old Leeds-based Rhodar is one of the UK's three largest asbestos removal companies.

Tony Farmer, former director and chief executive of telecoms group Convergent, is now the corporate finance partner at J W Pickles & Co.

He was in the team, with corporate finance manager Katy Booth and manager Nigel Clemit, which spent five months in detailed negotiations before sealing the Rhodar deal for an undisclosed sum. Solicitors were York practice Philip Ashworth & Co.

Mr Farmer said: "This deal is one of five completed by the corporate finance team within the first three months of the year.

"It shows that activity in the small to medium enterprise sector is really buoyant, with a range of lenders keen to back growing businesses led by talented and ambitious management."

The takeover of Western Thermal extends Rhodar's reach into the south-west at a crucial time.

Most asbestos products were banned in the mid-1980s, but there is now a mandatory duty on landlords to manage asbestos in all non-domestic properties, including written plans, surveys and, if necessary, removal.

Andrew Thornber, Rhodar's finance director, said: "It is estimated that we will still be helping people to manage asbestos 25 years from now."

Updated: 09:39 Thursday, April 29, 2004