to acquire Critchley Group PLC, a British maker of telecoms equipment, for $195 million cash.

The offer from Tyco Electronics, the electronics arm of industrial conglomerate Tyco International Inc. of Hamilton, Bermuda, tops a $150 million hostile bid for Critchley by Brady Corp., a Milwaukee-based maker of labels and other identification products.

Tyco said the deal is a way to expand its European activities.