Manchester-based lighting manufacturer BMAC (www.bmac.ltd.uk) — a division of the Volvox Group — has acquired Translec Ltd of Oldham, which designs and manufactures advanced exterior and interior lighting and electronic control systems for rail vehicles.

Volvox supplies industrial electrical products from its 60,000sq ft facility in Leeds. It has annual sales of more than £50 million and employs around 220 people. Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking provided debt facilities for the transaction.

A Volvox spokesman said: "Given Translec's product offering, credentials and contacts in the rail lighting market, this transaction will play a key role in helping to support BMAC’s growth ambitions in the rail sector. Together with the assistance of the Lloyds Bank team, we have been able to further drive the evolution of our investment.”

Rob McCann, director at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, added: “The impressive and continued growth of the Volvox Group in the past few years is testament both to the strength and ambition of its management team and the transformative power of private-equity investment. With significant investment taking place in the UK and European rail industry currently, this acquisition by BMAC will ensure that the company is ready to capitalise on market growth.”