A MANUFACTURER of healthcare products in the North-East has been sold for £63.2m.

Newcastle-based Attends Healthcare has undergone a secondary buyout with shares being acquired by private equity group Rutland Partners.

Attends management team, led by James Steele, will remain with the business and there are plans to invest in improved manufacturing processes, product development and distribution.

Mr Steele said: "The Attends management team are committed to taking the business to a leadership position in the sector and look forward to working with Rutland to make this happen."

Attends manufactures and supplies a wide range of healthcare products and was formerly known as PaperPak.

The company has its main manufacturing operations in Sweden.

In the 12 months to 30 June, the company reported a turn-over of about £85.2m and earnings before deductions of just over £10m.

The sale, which represents one of the largest private equity deals in the North-East this year, was handled by Deloitte Corporate Finance and law firm Dickinson Dees, in Newcastle.

Deloitte's Mike Barker, who advised the shareholders on the deal, said: "The management team has transformed the business over the past three years and Attends is now a very strong North-Eastern company."