Bilfinger Berger, Germany’s second largest construction group, is to buy UK company O’Hare Engineering for an undisclosed sum.

The Runcorn-based company, which specialises in industrial production maintenance, has a £40 million turnover and 600 employees.

Bilfinger Berger has recently reported earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation of euro16 million (£10 million) for the first three months of 2007. In the same period last year it recorded a euro3 million (£2 million) loss.