Europe

Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has signed an agreement for 70 hectares of land at the Port of Sheerness in Kent, UK, on which it hopes to build a facility to manufacture its new purpose-built offshore wind turbine.

Vestas has secured exclusive rights to the land, with the option lasting for approximately one year with the possibility to extend for another 12 months.

Bernie Ecclestone is on his second; and Johnny Depp and the president of the Russian Federation each have one. A yacht built in Turkey by Proteksan Turquoise really is the ultimate aspiration.

Software giant Microsoft has agreed to acquire internet phone service Skype for $8.5 billion, it has been announced.

In a joint statement, the two companies said the acquisition would increase accessibility of real-time video and voice communications, generate significant new business and revenue opportunities, and further extend Skype’s reach.

The move will also enhance Microsoft’s existing portfolio of real-time communications products and services, which currently include Lync, Outlook, Messenger, Hotmail and Xbox LIVE.

UK tobacco group Imperial Tobacco has reported a rise in first-half net profits of 34 per cent on the back of a strong performance in emerging markets.

The company said that net profit for the six months to March 31 was £926 million—up from £689 million the previous year—driven by a particularly strong performance in emerging markets outside of the EU.

California-based business technology specialist Trimble Navigation Limited has announced a public tender offer for Tekla Corporation, a leader in building information modeling technology (BIM) for the construction industry.

Headquartered in Finland, with a US office in Atlanta, Georgia, Tekla has approximately 500 employees and operations in 15 countries worldwide.

Trimble’s offer of €15.00 per share in cash is being handled by its subsidiary Trimble Finland Oy, and values Tekla at approximately €311 million ($451 million).

Germany’s biggest steelmaker, ThyssenKrupp, has announced a major restructuring of its business as it seeks to increase its focus on engineering.

The €10 billion divestment plan is designed to enable the company to strengthen its existing competences in engineering and take advantage of opportunities in emerging markets to expand its current business scope.

The UK has the potential to capture just under a quarter of the global marine energy market, according to analysis released today by the Carbon Trust.

Becoming a global leader in the marine energy market would be worth the equivalent of up to £76 billion to the UK economy by 2050, and generate over 68,000 UK jobs, the Trust said.

New jobs would develop on the back of growing export markets in countries such as Chile, Korea and America, as well as European states facing the Atlantic Ocean, which benefit from powerful waves or currents.

London-based Kalahari Minerals has said it remains confident that its relations with Namibia’s government and its investment in the country will continue, despite proposed changes that could see all mining and mineral exploration permits issued to the state-owned mining company, Epangelo.

The proposed changes, outlined by Namibian Mines and Energy minister Isak Katali, are being considered to ensure Namibian citizens receive more benefit from the country’s mineral wealth. Namibia is the world’s fourth-largest producer of uranium.

Zinkgruvan, the southernmost base metal mine in Sweden, celebrated the end of 2010 with a double whammy: the completion of two vital projects.