Kings Langley, Hertfordshire-based Marlowe will join forces with Dewsbury, West Yorkshire-based Dennison Group from 1 November to create a £3m-turnover UK-wide pre-press service network.

Darren Eliot, managing director of Marlowe, said that the deal would give both companies a better geographical spread and could ultimately lead to a merger.

He said: "It made a lot of sense for the two companies to pool resources rather than continue to compete against each other. The demand for both companies' support services continues to grow, but so does the range of technologies that we have to be skilled in.

"The strengths of Dennison remain firmly focused on pre-press hardware but also include large format digital printer support [while] Marlowe's expertise is more in traditional CTP products and software elements; by combining that huge range of skills we can serve more customers and cover a wider range of their equipment."

Roy Milner, managing director of Dennison Group, added: "By combining the two businesses we create a pre-press company of significant size and influence. Denmar Support Group is now the leading independent supplier of CTP equipment and service in the UK."

The new joint venture will have 20 technicians at its disposal as well as a number of specialist sub-contractors. Back office functions for the organisation will be housed at Marlowe's headquarters in Kings Langley, although management and administration personnel will continue to operate from both facilities.

The joint venture will provide third-party service for pre-press equipment manufacturers as well as direct technical support to its own customers. It will also sell a range of new and refurbished pre-press equipment and software, including the popular StudioRIP.

Eliot said: "We don't want to change the world - both companies do pre-press support and that's what Denmar will continue to focus on. We believe that we can add value for our customers by pooling resources."