The newly formed group, with approximately 2,300 employees in 18 countries, is expected to have sales this year of roughly £262m and a profit (EBITA) of just under £27m. Ratos, the Nordic private equity firm, will own 80% and Bonnier AB 20% of the new group.

“This is an ideal industrial deal,” says Lars Save, Managing Director of BBI and CEO-elect of the new group. “Due to the technological development during the last ten years, the economies of scale in our business have become very tangible. By co-ordinating the operations of BBI and Infodata, we will achieve cost advantages as well as opportunities for a considerably broader customer base.”

BBI’s business is focused on marketing, company and product information services. The group has grown from sales of £8.5m upon its establishment in 1989 to approximately £182m in 2004 and has over 1,900 employees. Much of this growth was built upon a number of major acquisitions, of which the most recent were the purchases of Dun & Bradstreet’s Nordic and Central European operations in 2003 and 2004.

Infodata, has more than 400 employees, with sales of approximately £62m (2004). Its business is focused on direct marketing services, as well as company information, IT solutions, telemarketing, and information monitoring.

“As a key company within the new group, this is exciting news for ICC Information and supports our strategic objectives within Northern Ireland” said Peter Coyne, MD of ICC Information. “Being part of a larger, more profitable company with substantial additional resources, will enable us to grow and realise our potential faster, contributing to the groups objective of being the number one business information provider in Europe”.