Heathpatch, the diversified business group of Suffolk farmer James Buckle, has expanded again with the acquisition of i4 Innovation, a manufacturer of plastic enclosures and medical products based in Thetford.

Former owners Karl and Emma Sears will remain with the business and also take over at the helm of electro-mechanical components maker CamdenBoss, which is based in Mildenhall and has been owned by Heathpatch for a number of years.

Mr Buckle said the two businesses complemented one another, with no real overlap between them.

“i4 Innovation is just a perfect fit for us,” he added. “It would have been perfect if it had been based in Milan but for it to be just 10 minutes down the road is incredible.”

Heathpatch is based at Semer, near Hadleigh, and besides agriculture has interests in property, recycling and hospitality, including the Bildeston Crown and Lindsey Rose inns.

The shareholders of i4 innovation were advised during the transaction by Bury St Edmunds-based law firm Greene & Greene, one of five deals in which it has been involved so far this year.

Greene & Greene also worked for Berlin Packaging on its acquisition of the Hadleigh-based H Erben Group, the shareholders of Box-it East, based near Bury, on its acquisition by Oasis Group, and Newmarket-based Evogreen on an investment by investment manager Downing.

In addition, the firm has advised London-based underwriter Nexus on its acquisition of Aspley Speciality, the latest in a series of transactions in which it has acted for Nexus over the last seven years.

Simon Ratcliffe of Greene & Greene said: “The demand for our services continues to increase and I am pleased that we have a number of exceptionally talented lawyers within the corporate team to assist our clients in achieving their various business goals from general company commercial matters, to reorganisations/restructurings, fundraisings and technical M&A work.”