A new survey from the independent consulting company Audon Partners, the Danish part of M&A international, shows that 109 Danish middle-sized companies worth from EUR 10 million to 150 million were put on the market in 2006.

In 2003 the figure was 50, representing a doubling in only three years, reports the news portal Idag.dk.

"This year we will see at least the same level of activity as last year. At this time of the year we can look back and see what actually happened and the conclusion is that there will be more activity later this year. We have a number of deals on the way ourselves and when we offer our services, which we do all the time, we get to know about other deals. At the same time, we are often in contact with companies on behalf of our customers and thus we learn what is on the market," states Frederik Aakard, partner at Audon.

The increase in the number of company deals is seen in almost all industries, but according to Audon activity is especially high in the manufacturing sector. In fact, every third company sold was an industrial firm. The year before it was every eighth company.