Engineering and agriculture company Carr's Group has taken over American firm ESI Holding Company, the owners of NuVision Engineering.

This Cumbrian firm has paid an initial £8.8m, which could rise to a total of £15.4m depending on financial performance, and has been financed through "new and existing debt facilities".

NuVision, was set up in 1971 and has its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with operations in Charlotte, North Carolina.

It is a leading technology and applications engineering company focussed on the commercial nuclear and power plant industry with customers including the US Department of Energy, major nuclear energy suppliers, public utilities, and international governments.

NuVision is also a 49 per cent minority shareholder in Mid Columbia Engineering, an engineering company based in Richland, Washington and local to the Hanford Site nuclear complex.

In a statement to the London Stock Exchange this morning Carr's, which has its headquarters in Stanwix, Carlisle, said the acquisition provided a strong foothold into the main nuclear markets in the USA, will help the company market its existing nuclear businesses in this market and help it expand the range of the group's nuclear offering.

NuVision, which is part of the Sellafield supply chain, will also act as a supplier for a project Carr's is involved with in the UK. The details of this have not been released.

Tim Davies, Carr's chief executive, said: "I am delighted to announce the acquisition of NuVision Engineering, Inc. This acquisition lays the foundations for growth into the USA and wider international nuclear markets and provides us with access to specialised IP and a strong pipeline of long term contract opportunities.

"Additionally, this presents a significant opportunity for us to expand our existing remote handling operations into the USA market.

"The management team at NuVision have created long lasting and sustained relationships with a number of major nuclear customers and we look forward to building on this and continuing to invest in the business and the team," he added

Van Walker, president and chief executive of NuVision, said: "I am very excited about the prospect of NuVision Engineering becoming part of Carr's Group. The acquisition will enable the two companies to work seamlessly in providing value adding engineering services to the USA and wider global nuclear markets."