Britain’s Yell Group to Buy TransWestern

Yell Group, the publisher of Britain’s Yellow Pages, agreed to buy TransWestern Holdings for $1.6 billion, its largest U.S. acquisition as it seeks faster growth outside the company’s home market.

Yell will buy TransWestern from Thomas H. Lee Partners, CIVC Partners and TransWestern’s management, the Reading, England-based company said. San Diego-based TransWestern publishes 332 directories in 25 U.S. states including California and Texas.

The purchase will make the company’s U.S. division larger than its British unit in sales.