Belgium's BEKAERT (EUR 2.7 bil turnover in 2000 for more than 80 plants and 17200 employees), specialising in the metal turning and metal coating technologies, has acquired the operational assets of the UK's JSB - JOSEPH SYKES BROTHERS (annual turnover of around EUR 22 million for workforce of 224) for 5.6 million pounds sterling. JSB makes speciality wire, particularly nylon-coated wire