
Britain’s Smiths Group on Thursday said it has agreed to acquire the California-based detection business of France’s Safran Group for $710 million, a deal that would give it a marquis position globally for automated checked baggage screening and consolidate a large portion of the international market for trace detection products.The deal is subject to regulatory approvals and the company’s expect it to close in early 2017.The only potential regulatory hurdle would seem to be in the area of trace detection…