PrintWeek had contacted rivals of Blackburns, with one notable rival expressing "surprise" that no contact had been made regarding a possible bid and another reporting that access to information was limited.

However, KPMG has said that 17 companies were contacted with a view to buying the profitable direct mail arm of the business.

Of those 17, six signed non-disclosure agreements and received information on the business and discussions took place with three interested parties.

KPMG also said that it was "continuing to liaise with interested parties" over the possible sale of the Blackburns printing arm.

Blackburns was bought in a controversial pre-pack deal last week, which saw a management team led by Nick Atkinson and Andrew Cowman and almost entirely consisting of directors of the failed Blackburns business acquiring the "gold mine" direct mail arm of the business out of administration at a cost of 114 jobs on the print side.

It is hoped that, if a sale of the printing division is completed, many of these staff will be re-employed.

Unite has branded the deal "morally unacceptable". Ray Jones of Unite said: "The company's long standing work force should have been shown more respect."

In an interview with PrintWeek, Cowman said that business was faced with no option but to go into administration following a collapse in the financial services printing market, which dominated work carried out at Blackburns' printing arm.

See also:

UPDATE: Administrators KPMG appointed at Blackburns
KPMG has confirmed that it has been appointed at direct mail house Blackburns but scotched rumours of a possible sale of part of the business.


KPMG in talks over sale of Blackburns printing division
Administrators for failed printer Blackburns have said that they are in discussions with "interested parties" over a possible sale of the printing arm of the business.