One of the biggest names in Midlands construction has been acquired by a huge French conglomerate.

Bouygues Bâtiment International - a subsidiary of Bouygues Construction which is part of the Bouygues Group that includes companies such as Alstom - has signed a deal with Thomas Vale subject to European approval.

The acquisition of the Stourport-based firm, which is predicting a turnover this year of around £200 million, is part of Bouygues Bâtiment International’s expansion programme in the UK which has already seen it add Warings, Leadbitter, Denne and ETDE to its portfolio.

Olivier-Marie Racine, Deputy CEO of Bouygues Construction and Chairman of Bouygues Bâtiment International, said: “Thomas Vale is a company with an impressive performance history, solid strategic partnerships and a strong heritage in the Midlands. This is an important region of England for the Bouygues Group and a great addition to our UK portfolio.”

Tony Hyde, group managing director of the Thomas Vale Group, added: “This is a very exciting time for the Thomas Vale Group, its employees, clients and other stakeholders. The resources that are now available to us through the Bouygues Group will allow us to continue to increase our market share in our key industry sectors. This move will allow the business to capitalise on additional emerging markets and opportunities which complement our skills and experience.

“We look forward to continuing our working relationships with our public and private sector clients.”