RR Donnelly, a Chicago-based printer, outbid three private equity firms and has now completed the purchase of Astron, a business process outsourcing group. Donnelly bought the company from PPM, the mid-market private equity arm of Prudential for £520m (€759m).

Astron and PPM appointed UBS and Citigroup in February to look at its strategic options. Donnelley outbid private equity groups Candover and Charterhouse for Astron.