BALDWINS ACCOUNTANTS has taken over its fourth practice in under a year to increase its presence in the East Midlands.
The family-owned firm has acquired Derby-based Lings just three months after it bought Parkinson Matthews, also in the city, and now plans move the two businesses into new headquarters at Friar Gate where they will trade as Baldwins Accountants.
Richard Matthews will lead the new merged office which will have a staff of 30.
John Baldwin, of Baldwins Accountants, said: “This is a very significant move for us and underlines the ambition we have for our operation in the city. We see Derby as a very strong market for us going forward and acquiring a well-respected company such as Lings, with the history and the strength of the brand they have built over many years will increase our foothold in the city and allow us to continue to offer a wide range of services to business in the area.
“It has a fine tradition of advising Derby companies and that is something we want to continue and expand. Derby has some very strong companies operating across a wide range of sectors and we are excited about expanding our client base.
In April, Baldwins bought out near neighbour Cox Jerome in a deal which saw it grow its Walsall staff to 35.
In November last year it made its biggest ever expansion, in a merger with Turner Peachey which spread its presence into Shropshire and mid-Wales.
Baldwins was set-up in 1971 and is led by father and son John and David Baldwin. It has offices in Derby, Ashby de la Zouch, Bridgnorth, Coventry, Leamington, Nottingham, Oswestry, Shifnal, Shrewsbury, Stourbridge, Tamworth, Walsall, Welshpool and Wolverhampton.