News roundup--Spirit of Nature under new ownership, more

Adili founder Adam Smith and business partner James Akin-Smith have purchased the assets of cataloguer/etailer Spirit of Nature and relaunched the business. A website was soft-launched yesterday to sell a selection of eco-friendly nappies and other environmentally friendly household goods. At its height, Spirit of Nature had turnover of £1.5 million and Smith aims to nurture the business back to health. His first priorities are to get the business restocked, introduce new products—such as an enhanced womenswear and gift range, and make improvements to the efficiency of the fulfilment and customer services departments.

The Financial Times interviews Dame Margaret Barbour, crediting her for transforming Barbour from a “mail-order retailer of oilskins for lighthouse keepers and outerwear for motorcyclists into a quintessentially English brand”.

HGI, a US-based cataloguer of medical supplies for the chronically ill, has been sold to buyout arm of Goldman Sachs and the private equity firm of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in a deal worth $850 million, reports the Financial Times.

Straight plc, a supplier of waste and recycling solutions to local authorities and general businesses as well as a direct-to-consumer business, today reported on “six months of solid financial performance”. As of 30th June, Straight had cash balances of £1.8 million, up £200,000 on the previous six months.