Lexmark International, has announced that it has made a $US182 million cash offer for Sweden-based ReadSoft, and the offer has been unanimously recommended by ReadSoft's Board of Directors.

Since acquiring ECM vendor Perceptive Software in 2010, printer giant Lexmark has been acquiring a suite of document capture process and content management offerings, to which ReadSoft will now be added if the offer is accepted. ReadSoft brings a strong track record of accounts payable automation in the high end enterprise SAP market in particular.

ReadSoft was founded in 1991 and has approximately 625 employees. The company is headquartered in Helsingborg, Sweden. ReadSoft has over 12,000 customers worldwide, operates in 70 countries and has more than 350 channel partners.

"Our tender offer for the shares of ReadSoft supports Lexmark's ongoing strategy of building our high value solutions that help our customers manage their unstructured information challenges," said Paul Rooke, Lexmark chairman and chief executive officer.”

He added "The combination of ReadSoft and Perceptive Software will enhance our ability to create solutions that manage the ever-expanding forms of content, from traditional hard copy documents to mobile video and audio in today's digital business environment."

 "The Board of Directors of ReadSoft has carefully considered the offer and views Lexmark as an excellent owner committed to the further development of ReadSoft's business, and has therefore decided to recommend the shareholders to accept the tender offer from Lexmark," said Göran Larsson, chairman of the board of ReadSoft.