Divestiture	12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2013
Divestiture [Abstract]
Divestiture	Note 2—Divestiture On January 30, 2012, we completed the sale of our label manufacturing operations in Asheboro, North Carolina to Label Line Ltd., (the “Buyer”) the original owner of the Asheboro operations. The Asheboro operations were part of the QuickLabel System business segment. The net sales price of $1,000,000 was received in the form of a promissory note in consideration for the inventory and equipment of the Asheboro operations. The promissory note issued by the Buyer is fully secured by a first lien on various collateral of the Buyer, including the Asheboro plant and plant assets. The note bears interest at a rate equal to the lesser of the United States prime rate as of January 30, 2013 plus 50 basis points or six percent per annum and is payable in sixteen quarterly installments of principal and interest commencing on January 30, 2013. The Note Receivable is disclosed at its present value on the accompanying consolidated balance sheet. The divestiture resulted in a net book loss of $681,000, which is included in Operating Income in the accompanying consolidated statements of income for the year ended January 31, 2012 and includes $64,000 related to closing costs and $265,000 related to the write-off of intangibles. As we have expanded our label manufacturing operations in Canada, Germany and West Warwick, Rhode Island, the sale of the Asheboro operations did not impact our continued involvement in label manufacturing within the QuickLabel segment. The terms of the sale also include an agreement for Astro-Med to provide the Buyer with additional financing in form of a revolving line of credit in the amount of $600,000, which is fully secured by first lien on various collateral of the Buyer, including the Asheboro plant and plant assets. This line of credit bears interest at a rate equal to the United States prime rate plus an additional margin of two percent of the outstanding credit balance and has an initial term of one-year from the date of the sale which may be extended for consecutive one-year terms on mutual agreement of the parties. As of January 31, 2013, Astro-Med has extended $300,000 on this revolving line of credit. On March 27, 2013, Astro-Med signed an agreement to extend this line of credit through January 30, 2014. The terms of the sale also included a three-year purchase commitment for the Company to purchase $3,250,000 of inventory from the Buyer. The disposal did not qualify as a discontinued operation due to our continuing involvement with the Asheboro operation.

Divestiture

12 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2013

Note 2—Divestiture

On January 30, 2012, we completed the sale of our label manufacturing operations in Asheboro, North Carolina to Label Line Ltd., (the “Buyer”) the original owner of the Asheboro operations. The Asheboro operations were part of the QuickLabel System business segment. The net sales price of $1,000,000 was received in the form of a promissory note in consideration for the inventory and equipment of the Asheboro operations. The promissory note issued by the Buyer is fully secured by a first lien on various collateral of the Buyer, including the Asheboro plant and plant assets. The note bears interest at a rate equal to the lesser of the United States prime rate as of January 30, 2013 plus 50 basis points or six percent per annum and is payable in sixteen quarterly installments of principal and interest commencing on January 30, 2013. The Note Receivable is disclosed at its present value on the accompanying consolidated balance sheet.

The divestiture resulted in a net book loss of $681,000, which is included in Operating Income in the accompanying consolidated statements of income for the year ended January 31, 2012 and includes $64,000 related to closing costs and $265,000 related to the write-off of intangibles. As we have expanded our label manufacturing operations in Canada, Germany and West Warwick, Rhode Island, the sale of the Asheboro operations did not impact our continued involvement in label manufacturing within the QuickLabel segment.

The terms of the sale also include an agreement for Astro-Med to provide the Buyer with additional financing in form of a revolving line of credit in the amount of $600,000, which is fully secured by first lien on various collateral of the Buyer, including the Asheboro plant and plant assets. This line of credit bears interest at a rate equal to the United States prime rate plus an additional margin of two percent of the outstanding credit balance and has an initial term of one-year from the date of the sale which may be extended for consecutive one-year terms on mutual agreement of the parties. As of January 31, 2013, Astro-Med has extended $300,000 on this revolving line of credit. On March 27, 2013, Astro-Med signed an agreement to extend this line of credit through January 30, 2014. The terms of the sale also included a three-year purchase commitment for the Company to purchase $3,250,000 of inventory from the Buyer. The disposal did not qualify as a discontinued operation due to our continuing involvement with the Asheboro operation.