It plans to more closely align the two companies. Maldon-based Heron produces weekly and monthly magazines and catalogues; Basingstokes Impact is renowned for its magazine cover printing.

An interim management team led by Heron production director Ray Lesnik and finance director Mike Edwards will manage the transition, which will result in redundancy for three of Impacts senior management team. Sales director John Crouch, one of Impacts founders, will remain with the firm. It is not clear how, or if, the changes will affect managing director Peter Gubb.

Wyndeham group managing director Paul Utting said: We want the whole group to be working together more closely and this is a logical place to start.

Story by Jo Francis