According to the company, the addition will expand its services in the United States, as well as Europe.

The acquisition has been made by APS Group's newly formed Netherlands-based venture APS International.

Eindhoven-based Relate4U has 34 employees, some of which are based at its Portland, Oregon facility in the US. All employees at the €4.5m (£3.8m) turnover company will transfer to APS International.

APS Group said that its Dutch acquisition had developed a number of innovative technologies for print management, including online editing and translation tools, and it would be integrating these services within its current offerings.

The company's director of client solutions John Holmes said: "There is an exceptional cultural and commercial fit between the two companies which made the decision to acquire Relate4U relatively straightforward. 

"We have been aware of the work Relate4U has been delivering for a number of years and have been impressed with their innovative and commercial approach. The European marketing services market is relatively immature in comparison to that of the UK and to establish a foothold in the Benelux region makes good commercial sense for us at this stage.

APS International managing director Koen Luijten added: "We consider the arrangement between the two companies to be mutually beneficial as our core activities complement one another well. 

"As a company and as individuals we are very positive about the opportunities being part of a larger organisation will bring.  We look forward to developing new service lines for our current and future clients across Europe and the US."