Deals

Fremantle-based Mermaid Marine Australia has been awarded a contract from an undisclosed party for the operation and management of the accommodation vessel Silja Europa for an undisclosed amount.

Perth-based Cobham Aviation Services will introduce the Embraer 190 to its fleet as part of the $160 million extended contract with Chevron Australia.

Graphite explorer Uranex has signed a memorandum of understanding for an off-take agreement with the China-based Sinosteel Liaoning and Dalian InterContinental New Materials Corporation joint venture.

Engineering and project services firm Clough says its AMEC joint venture has been awarded a $70 million contract for Arrow Energy’s Bowen gas project in Queensland.

Perth-based coal miner Ascot Resources has received commitments from global commodity trader Gunvor Group for a $5 million equity capital investment in its $11.2 million raising.

Toronto-based design and engineering services provider WSP Global has bought Balfour Beatty’s New York-based professional services subsidiary, Parsons Brinkerhoff, for $1.45 billion.

Perth Internet provider iiNet has acquired a 60 per cent stake in New South Wales-based technology firm Tech2 Group for an undisclosed amount.

Engineering and project services firm Clough has acquired Scotland-based engineering company Booth Welsh for $16 million.

The Singapore-based bidder for the Australand Property Group has fallen just short of securing 100 per cent of its takeover target.

Energia Minerals’ shares have jumped by nearly 30 per cent on the news that Euroz Securities and new investors had completed due diligence on its Gorno zinc project and confirmed that they would proceed with the $8.15 million funding package, which was announced last week.

Perth explorer Buxton Resources has made plans to raise $2.6 million to fund drilling at its Yalbra graphite project in Western Australia, along Oaktree North and Zanthus Ni-Cu projects in the Fraser Range.

Shares in Poseidon Nickel have surged after it announced it had agreed to buy Norilsk Nickel’s Lake Johnston nickel project, located west of Norseman, for an undisclosed amount.

Iron ore explorer Sundance Resources says it has raised $40 million through a subscription for its convertible notes and options by resources investor Gennadiy Bogolyubov.

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank hopes to raise $200 million through an issue of hybrid securities to investors.

BCP Energy International has altered its conditions in its takeover of Nido Petroleum, making the offer nearly unconditional upon 50.1 per cent acceptance.

Shares in Kresta Holdings slumped today after its major shareholder, China-based Aplus, announced that it had fallen short of its required 90 per cent threshold for compulsory acquisition.

Subiaco-based Mission NewEnergy has sold its Kuantan Port biodiesel refinery for $24 million to a newly formed joint venture company in which it will retain a 20 per cent stake.

Welshpool contractor MACA says it will raise up to $58.5 million through the placement of 30 million shares.

Shares in Perth explorer Empire Oil & Gas have surged after the company said it would buy ERM Power’s Western Australian gas assets for $16.3 million.

Biotech firm Actinogen has signed an agreement to buy pharmaceutical company Corticrine for about $5.75 million, which focuses on the development of treatments for disease modification and prevention in Alzheimer’s dementia.

Shares in Perth contractor OTOC have surged after it announced it had taken a first step towards creating a national surveying business by acquiring Victorian firm Bosco Jonson for $17 million.

Tiger Resources says it will acquire the remaining 40 per cent shareholding in Société d'Exploitation de Kipoi for $118.6 million, to gain full ownership of its Kipoi copper project.

Oil and gas dealmaker Peter Allchurch has teamed up with fellow Aurora Oil & Gas founder John Kenny, and Houston-based geologist Neville Henry, to list US-focused shale oil hopeful Winchester Energy.

Struggling clothing maker Pacific Brands is selling its workwear business to Wesfarmers Industrial and Safety, after write-downs and weaker profit margins blew its full-year loss out to $224 million.

Exploration firm Energia Minerals has reached an agreement with Euroz Securities to take an $8 million funding package to help fast-track development of its Gorno zinc project near Bergamo in north Italy.

Kibaran Resources-backed 3D Graphtech Industries has entered into an agreement with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation to research the effectiveness of graphite and graphene inks in 3D printing.

Opportunities in the huge markets to Australia’s north are driving greater corporatisation of the agriculture sector.

Investment company Katana Capital has raised $7.8 million through the issue of 8.4 million shares to sophisticated and professional investors at an issue price of 93 cents per share.

Shipbuilder Austal has sold one of its ships, a 102 metre trimaran stock vessel, to Condor Ferries for $61.5 million.

Belmont-based event production and management services provider Corporate Theatre Productions has been sold to Presentation Technology for an undisclosed amount.

Copper explorer India Resources has signed a placement agreement with Resource Capital Funds for the issue of up to 200 million shares to raise up to $1.6 million.

A private investor has committed $5 million to the public listing of US-focused oil and gas explorer Winchester Energy.