Staff at NCP and Crowes were informed of the proposal yesterday, which - if it goes ahead as planned on the 19 September - will include the TUPE transfer of staff from both companies to the merged business.
The all-share deal, which Crowes managing director Simon Tilbrook described as an "absolute 50/50 merger", will result in Crowes moving from its site near Norwich airport to NCP's 1,950sqm Drayton production facility.
Tilbrook said the two companies had known each other for a long time and were "nicely complementary" in terms of the production capabilities and customer lists.
"They're B1, whereas we offer B2 litho and digital print, and amazingly given that we're only four or five miles apart our customer base has only crossed over with about two or three accounts," he explained.
"From our customers' point of view it's all good news, because we'll be able to offer B1 to our clients who we've been supplying B2 and digital print to and NCP will offer B2 and digital work to their customers, whereas before they may have had to put it out or turn it away."
NCP director Adrian Mann added: "We will be able to provide digital and litho, small and large format, short and long runs and in-house finishing, all under one roof, thereby allowing us to better serve our existing and new clients."
The two companies have already begun drawing up investment plans that - assuming the merger goes ahead - could include the purchase of a new B2 press.
Tilbrook said: "By being together and being big we can invest in the very latest technology and have the best equipment available to us running flat out, which is clearly the only way to make money in our industry, which is extremely tight at the moment.
"We would be looking to invest in an XL 75 for our B2 work. We were already looking at what was available before the merger came up and we're a company that has always invested in the latest technology."
The combined company will pack considerable printing firepower, including two five-colour B1 Heidelberg CD 102 presses, a new five-colour B2 Heidelberg XL 75 with coater and a new B1 folder, as well as digital colour presses from Xerox and Konica Minolta.
Details such as the branding of the new business have yet to be finalised, although Tilbrook said that Bright Print was one option under consideration.
Crowes employs 41 staff and had a turnover of £3.9m in its last financial year; NCP has 31 staff and turned over £3.2m.
