SSL sold for £2.3bn

Cleansing products conglomerate Reckitt Benckiser has agreed a £2.5 billion deal to snap up the consumer goods group behind Durex and Scholl footcare.

Reckitt will pay 1163p a share for SSL International, which has a manufacturing base in Middleton employing 300 people.

Anglo–Dutch group Reckitt said the takeover would provide a significant boost to its health and personal-care arm.

But it also warned that integration of the two companies would lead to job cuts in commercial and administration functions.

SSL, which employs around 10,000 people worldwide, owns pain-relief brands such as Cuprofen and Paramol.