"Even the mid-caps were not exempt from bid excitement, with engineering group FKI jumping 16.75p to 67p after it revealed it had received an approach. Last year a proposed offer of around 130p a share - thought to have been from US private equity group Blackstone - came to nothing. Blackstone, or industrial rivals such as GE or Siemens, were suggested as possible predators."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/feb/02/marketforces