Sonic Healthcare buys US diagnostic companies

Pathology company, Sonic Healthcare, headquartred at Macquarie Park, has paid $A37.5 million for two US diagnostic companies. "Our intention is to continue with acquisitions, particularly in Europe and the US," Sonic company secretary, Paul Alexander, said the The Australian Financial Review.

He said Sonic would consolidate the fragmented pathology markets in the US, where it was the third-largest player, and in Europe, where it was the largest lab company, during 2998. Sonic Healthcare is one one of the world's largest medical diagnostic companies.

Revenue bowling along for AMF

AMF Bowling Centres Parramatta alley in Cowper Street has long gone for redevelopment as a residential venture, but the company, owned by Macquarie Leisure Trust, still has properties across Western Sydney and elsewhere in the metropolitan area, which are doing well.

AMF centres produced a 6.7 per cent rise in revenue to $32.2 million, with earnings before property costs up 8.1 per cent to $11.4 million.

In 2006, the alley in Parramatta, on a 4426-square-metre site, was sold to Crown International Holdings Group for a $115 million residential project including 240 apartments in two 16-storey towers.

Tenpin Bowling Australia's chief executive, Alex Popov, said bowling alleys which needed large tracts of land for their operations, were attractive to developers.