The private equity firm Apax partners may sell UK-based publisher The Stationary Office (TSO). It has reportedly hired UBS to advise on the sale, and could fetch between £80m and £100m. TSO manages government publications and has recently also moved into commercial publications. The company was acquired by Apax in 1999. Apax is likely to target specialist firms in document management as potential buyers such as William Lea and Astron. The sale could also attract the interest of private equity groups in the light of a possible consolidation within the publishing sector across Europe.