The corporate finance team at Fanshawe Lofts has just completed the acquisition of Prolec on behalf of their clients, Strainstall Group.

Based at Cowes, Strainstall has worldwide experience in stress and load measurement for the marine transportation, civil, oil and gas and rail industries.

It has developed world class systems to monitor physical and performance parameters in a host of markets, often for hostile environments.

Prolec, of Poole, is a company that complements Strainstall's products and services, manufacturing a range of electronic safety, weighing and monitoring instruments for the construction industry across the world.

Chris Caws and Karen Lucas headed the Strainstall management team that undertook a successful MBO of the company two years ago. Since then the company has gone from strength to strength with a 66 per cent increase in turnover.

Having spent two years consolidating its position in the marketplace the firm is now looking for new markets to attack. Prolec, a retirement sale, provided an ideal opportunity - both companies use the same technologies but directed at different markets.

"We are delighted to have been able to help the management team at Strainstall take the company on its next step along its growth path," says Rosemary Penn-Newman of Fanshawe Lofts.

A team from Moore & Blatch Solicitors, led by partner Roger Bailey, provided legal advice to Strainstall on the acquisition of Prolec's share capital and the venture capital financing from the existing MBO funders, Downing Classic and new facilities from existing bankers, Bank of Scotland.