There has been no let up in the rate of business closures across the print industry in the first months of 2023.
According to announcements in the London Gazette, which does not always include companies from Scotland and Northern Ireland, more than 75 print businesses have appointed liquidators since the turn of the year.
The failures are spread across all sectors from textile and apparel printing, to wall art and canvases to digital and litho printing. Some are micro businesses, but some are substantial (in print terms) companies that would appear to be well established. Sterling Financial Print would appear to be in this category, having been founded in 1988. But on 3 May Andrew Pear and Milan Vuceljic, from Moorfields were appointed administrators. It has been one of the few remaining printers in the centre of London, focusing on fast turnaround for companies in the City and has had around 30 employees.
On the same day RAP Spiderweb, a B2 printer from Oldham, appointed administrators. Like Sterling, the commercial print business is a long standing operation, having worked in the charity, voluntary and non for profit sector for 40 years, offering digital and B2 litho print. Richard Cole and Steve Kenny, both of KBL Advisory, Sale, are joint administrators.
At least three trade finishing businesses are among the casualties listed in the Gazette while other print businesses which have closed their doors include Diamond Colour Print, Dartford; White Star Printing, Chandlers Ford and Hillside Printing Services, all of which have filed for voluntary administration.
In some instances the closures will not leave creditors out of pocket as their assets exceed liabilities, in others trading conditions and imminent rises in the cost of energy and doing business have rendered companies insolvent or incapable of continuing to trade.
The status of many businesses is not always apparent from their websites, unchanged weeks after liquidators have been appointed. This is not the case for 40-year-old Worthing printer Kenads. It recommends visitors wanting print call a number belonging to Sussex Printers in the same town, with a home page showing the remains of the town’s burned out pier silhouetted against the evening sky and the stark message: “Sorry we’re closed”.
