Staples, the US office supplies company, on Tuesday moved closer to securing control over Corporate Express after raising its hostile bid more than 14 per cent to a level that puts an enterprise value of €3bn ($4.6bn) on its Dutch rival.

The sweetened €9.15 per share cash bid coincided with the publication by Corporate Express of a shareholders’ circular urging them to support a rival deal in which the Dutch company would buy Lyreco, a privately held French group, for €1.7bn.