Japan's Fuji Photo Film said it will buy British ink-maker Sericol Group Ltd. for 123 million pounds in a move to expand its printing business.

　　"This purchase...is aimed at expanding one of our core businesses of printing operations," the Japanese firm said in a statement.

　　The purchase was scheduled for the end of February.

　　Following the acquisition, Fuji Photo said it expected sales in its printing business to expand to 300 billion yen (1.56 billion pounds) in the year to March 2009, from an estimated 240 billion yen in the year to March 2005.