Imprint has announced the completion of the disposal of regional businesses in Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds (the Northern Business) to Calton Consulting, a company controlled by David Colgrave, the operations director of the region.

Imprint Consulting, a subsidiary of Imprint, has received a nominal sum for the goodwill in the Northern Business and the first instalment of an annual £200,000 licence fee for the use of the intellectual property associated with the Northern Business. Total licence fees of £800,000 are payable in this regard.

Calton is permitted to trade under the ECHM brand name for three months from completion and under the Imprint Search & Selection brand name for 12 months from completion.

In the year ended 31 December 2006 the Northern Business accounted for approximately 7.5% of the Imprint group's net fee income.

John Gordon, chairman of Imprint, says: “We are pleased to have completed the sale which will enable the ongoing Imprint group a greater focus on its core capital city businesses.”