Under the agreement, which is expected to go through in 90 days, Creo will pay 4.7m for the assets of ScenicSoft and will assume around 1.5m of liabilities.

Creo chief executive Amos Michelson said the companies had worked in partnership for the last eight years and that the acquisition would boost Creos software.

We welcome ScenicSofts market-leading software for layout and imposition. We also gain several other products that complement our Networked Graphic Production Initiative, which integrates all aspects of print production, said Michelson.

He added that the ScenicSoft teams knowledge would also prove invaluable.

Creo has incorporated ScenicSofts Preps page-imposition software into its Prinergy and Brisque products, while Prinergy Powerpack incorporates ScenicSofts step-and-repeat software, Pandora.

ScenicSofts product portfolio also includes production planning software UpFront, and its trapping software TrapWise.

Somerset-based Positive Focus will continue as UK and Ireland distributor of ScenicSoft products for the foreseeable future.

If the deal is approved by ScenicSoft shareholders the companys 72 employees will come under the wing of Creo.

Creo marketing manager Rochelle van Halm said that software packages would be rebranded under the Creo name in time.

All the employees would be getting their pay cheques from Creo. But we plan to keep the two ScenicSoft locations at Seattle and Turnhout in Belgium, said van Halm.

ScenicSofts customers include Creo rivals Agfa and Heidelberg, which both use Preps in their workflow products.

Story by John Davies