A BUSY year for corporate deals has been reported in the region as York accountancy firm Garbutt + Elliott reveals it advised on deals totalling £130 million.

The Monk Cross-based accountants, which also has an office in Leeds, says its corporate finance team is preparing for “significant growth” in the next 12 months off the back of a “very positive” 2016.

The practice completed more than 20 deals in a variety of business sectors, including manufacturing and engineering, printing, brewing, support services and technology, offering advice on on valuations and planning for exit, business sales and acquisitions, growth finance through bank and private equity funding, management buyouts and flotations.

The firm’s corporate finance team has recently expanded with the appointment of partner Tony Farmer and corporate finance managers Steve Garbett and Nick Barker and has its sights set on further growth in 2017.

Garbutt + Elliott partner and head of corporate finance, Richard Feltham said: “We experienced a very positive 2016 within the corporate finance department and are very pleased have been involved in some great deals involving both UK and overseas companies that have enabled our clients to create or realise value and to achieve their goals and objectives.

“We are focused on continuing to grow our corporate finance offering, which was illustrated by a number of high-profile appointments at the end of 2016, and expand our coverage in the region.

“We have a strong pipeline of interesting deals this year and we are dedicated to continuing to build an increasingly strong corporate finance offering in the coming years.”

The deals included advising on the sale of AJS Labels in Pontefract to global packaging group MPS, the management buyout of Barnsley-based Yorkshire Repak Limited and the acquisition of defence and security vehicle business Penman Engineering, headquartered in Dumfries.

Garbutt + Elliott was established in York more than 150 years ago. Today, the firm employs 120 people, including eight partners.

Law year saw the firm unveil its new accountancy mobile app, which now has almost 200 users, allowing them to keep track of key financial dates, stay up to date with changes to legislation and other financial news, manage expenses including mileage and also access cloud-based accounting and bookkeeping software, Xero.