Sinkro International has taken a 70% stake in the Merseyside company, which will now be known as Sterling Sinkro (UK).

The group's head office will remain at Sterling's Tarbock Green site, which was expanded last year.  

Sinkro International's R&D facility in Livingstone will now serve both companies, as well as fellow Sinkro sister companies.

The company has said that it expects to record a turnover of £8m in its first year. Sterling Colours' last posted turnover was £3.5m

Sterling's founder Paul Boulger will remain as managing director of the new company. Also on the board at Sterling Sinkro will be chairman Hamish Somerville, former QC Colours and Kromacorp founder, Nick Somerville, Kevin Gardiner and Jeff Hulston.
 
Boulger said: "The changes for customers of both businesses are positive. UK customers particularly will have access to brand new state-of-the-art manufacturing capability from dry colour with basket mills whereas competitors have transferred this capability outside of the UK.

"We are now part of a truly global business with major manufacturing facilities in the US and China. We can now offer with sincerity a UK ink facility as a genuine alternative to the multinational ink players in the marketplace".
 
The deal, which was first mooted in October last year, has developed in response to demand from some of Sinkro International's larger clients for a UK manufacturing base.

Sterling Sinkro will initially employ 33 staff in Merseyside.