"Cabbell has a strong reputation in the corrugated and carton sector and has a number of high profile international packaging companies using its system," said Andy King, joint managing director of Shuttleworth.

The firm is already integrating Cabbell, which employs five full-time staff, into its existing business. It claims that its strong e-commerce supply chain management credentials will benefit Cabbell's 50-plus customers.

"As with previous acquisitions, we have made the migration path for Cabbell users as smooth as possible, both technically and commercially, as we continue to build our reputation for providing market specific customer-focused software and support," added King.

This is its third acquisition in the last three years. In 2002, it bought  Jenem Computers and in January 2004 made its first foray into the labels and flexography sector through the acquisition of MIS firm Compass.

Shuttleworth claims it has"one of the most powerful and flexible print management systems available today, with over 700 installations".