US office products retailer Staples has completed its purchase of Swiss group Globus Office World's UK division.
The£32.5 million deal, which was cleared by the Office of Fair Trading, increases Staples' UK store portfolio from 95 to 154 stores and makes it the market leader in the sector.
Staples UK managing director Andy Randall said last year he planned to increase store numbers to 250.
Staples, which is the world's biggest office supplies retailer, already has 265 European outlets in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and Belgium, under its Staples and Office Centre fascias.
It also operates mail order catalogues and online divisions in the UK, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Sweden.
The retailer generated net income of US$490.2 million (£266.9 million) last year.
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