Investor David F. La Roche of North
Kingstown, R.I., said he is offering to purchase 170,000 common
shares of NECO Enterprises Inc at 26 dlrs each.
    He said the successful completion of the offer, plus shares
he already owns, would give him 50.5 pct of NECO's 962,016
common shares.
    La Roche said he may buy more, and possible all NECO
shares. He said the offer and withdrawal rights will expire at
1630 EST/2130 gmt, March 30, 1987.
 Reuter

LAROCHE STARTS BID FOR NECO <NPT> SHARES

<Senior Engineering Group Plc> said it
reached agreement with <Cronus Industries Inc> to acquire the
whole share capital of <South Western Engineering Co> for 12.5
mln dlrs cash. This sum is being financed by a term loan.
    South Western is one of the U.S.'s leading manufacturers of
heat transfer equipment, with a turnover of 54.86 mln dlrs and
pre-tax profits of 1.72 mln in 1986.
    Completion of the deal is conditional on approval under
U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino regulations which is expected within 30
days. Some 350,000 dlrs is payable immediately, 12 mln dlrs
payable on completion with the balance due by June 30, 1987.
 Reuter

SENIOR ENGINEERING MAKES 12.5 MLN DLR US PURCHASE

Viacom International Inc said it
received revised merger offers from <National Amusements Inc>
and <MCV Holdings Inc>.
    The company said the special committee plans to meet later
today to review both offers.
    Viacom said National Amusements' Arsenal Holdings Inc
raised the value of its offer for the Viacom shares not held by
National Amusements in three areas. National Amusements holds
19.6 pct of Viacom's stock.
    The cash value of the offer was raised to 42.00 dlrs from
the 40.50 dlrs a Viacom share offered February 23 while the
value of the fraction of a share of exchangeable preferred
being offered was increased to 7.50 dlrs a share from six dlrs.
The interest rate to be used to increase the cash value of the
merger, if delayed beyond April 30, was raised to nine pct from
eight pct and 12 pct after May 31.
    A Viacom spokesman said the Arsenal Holdings's offer
continues to include a 20 pct interest in Arsenal for present
Viacom shareholders.
    Viacom said MCV Holdings, a group which includes the
company's senior management and the Equitable Life Assurance
Society of the United States, raised the value of its offer by
increasing the value of the preferred being offered to 8.50
dlrs from 8.00 dlrs a share and raising the ownership in the
new company to be held by present Viacom shareholders to 45 pct
from 25 pct. MCV called its previous offer, made February 26,
the "final" proposed revision of its agreement with Viacom.
 Reuter