Problems with the installation of a 48pp Sunday Press, bought for a peppercorn amount from Artisan Press, have helped down Garnett Dickinson Print.
The company installed the machine in August and at the time could claim to have a full order book extending beyond the autumn and into the new year. The additional press would run alongside its existing 48pp Manroland Lithoman and 16pp Rotoman to provide the additional capacity and back up needed to reassure customers.
However, the press did not perform as anticipated and the Rotherham company was compelled to put work out during the busiest and most expensive period of the year. At the time the company had a choice of press, showing what looked to be the best value on paper, despite limitations of its folder and different cut off. It did, however buy the Kolbus perfect binding line from Woodford Web Offset.
The choice of press has been a key contribution to the failure. Administrators from KPMG said: “The group had experienced cashflow difficulties as a resolute of operational issues”
This led to the decision to sell the business via a prepack to GD Web Offset, a business set up by Essex Web Offset owner Paul Mursell and Jeremy Spring of paper converter and supplier Aspenlink.
The deal has secured 125 of the 130 jobs in Rotherham and with a full order book and sharp focus on work that is suited to the business, GD Web Offset has good prospects.
It will be a return to the limelight for Mursell who has been quietly running EWO Media in Shoeburyness since the Blue Group imploded. The web offset operation, based around a six-unit 16pp Polyman and eight-unit KBA Rapida salvaged from Blue Group, has operated as a trade printer largely below the radar.
The new owners had insight into the Rotherham business thanks to Gill Webster, who joined EWO Media in a sales role in January 2016. Before that she had been business development director of Garnett Dickinson Print for four years.
GD Web Offset has taken over from Garnett Dickinson at the factory in Rotherham following a pre-pack administration. The new owners include Paul Mursell, owner of EWO Media.
