Menzies Transport Services (MTS) has acquired the London Heathrow cargo-handling facility of Aer Lingus, with a 10-year contract to handle the airline's cargo there. Austrian Airlines, Olympic Airways and Air Algerie are other customers. MTS is the second largest cargo handler at Heathrow. Acquisitive Smiths Industries of the UK is buying US connectors manufacturer Sabritec for $52.4 million. Bankrupt Murmansk Airlines has been bought by a creditor, Russian non-ferrous metals producer Norilsk Nickel, for $5.1 million, reports on-line news service Air Transport Intelligence. US crash-protection specialist Simula is selling San Diego commercial aircraft seating subsidiary Airline Interiors - minus a seat refurbishment plant - to Weber Aircraft of Texas (part of France's Zodiac Group) for $22 million. It has also raised a further $42 million to refocus on core auto safety and military aircraft/helicopter seating and restraint businesses. Honeywell has acquired Quantum Laser, a repair centre specialising in laser cladding of turbine blades. Georgia-based Quantum will become part of Honey- well's aerospace business, working alongside a South Carolina facility. US navigation-aid supplier Airport Systems International is to change its name and diversify into non-aviation-related electronic components. The Kansas-based company has already agreed to acquire liquid crystal displays producer DCI. Forgings specialist Ladish is to acquire Wyman-Gordon's aerospace castings business, being divested as part of Wyman-Gordon's merger with Precision Castparts. Earth Search Sciences has acquired Space Technology Development, together with rights over the pioneering Naval Earthmap Observer commercial hyperspectral imaging satellite. Universal Avionics Systems (UASC) has acquired Georgia-based flat panel display specialist Avionic Display, and will rename it Universal Instrument.
Source: Flight International
