The buy-out is the second acquisition for the firm this year after it bought Blackburn-based Carnegie Knox in January.

The firm’s recent expansion is part of its ambitions for a £5 million turnover target by 2023.

The take-over of Keltic Accounting ill bring over 400 clients to Acument, increasing the firms existing client base to 1,900 and bring turnover to more than £3 million.

A total of ten new staff, including Ms Sheena Martin who launched Keltic, will join the Acumen team. This will see the firms staff count increase to 63 across its offices in Portlethen, Inverurie and Peterhead.

Ross Murray, joint director of Acumen, said: “The opportunity to acquire Keltic Accounting came along at the right time for us as we are focussed on growing the business to achieve our targets. Sheena has done a great job over the past ten years. She has grown a solid business with well looked after clients and her operation fits seamlessly with our culture. Her clients will benefit from additional services and it gets us closer to where we want to be in terms of size.”

Ms Sheena Martin added: “The business has grown massively in the past two years, so I had to look at options for the next stage as I had a responsibility to my staff and clients. There are some great synergies between the two businesses as we are both advanced in technology and proactive with our clients and the timing was perfect. Joining forces with Acumen gives our clients more expertise in-house at a time when we need to have the right resources to help the clients to be fit for the future.”