Barclays Private Equity has clinched two deals worth a total £59m (€85m), in a bumper year for the European private equity firm which bought four companies within two weeks in April.

The six buy-outs it has completed this year are worth more than €400m ($437m) in total transaction value, which has made a sizeable dent in the first year of its latest fund. The €1.25bn fund, which closed in December, gives it buying power of between €3bn and €4bn.