Labute calls in administrators

Cambridge-based commercial printer Labute has fallen into administration following increased financial pressure, resulting in the loss of 18 jobs.

Tony Wright and Philip Watkins from FRP Advisory were appointed joint administrators of the business on 3 March and the business ceased trading immediately.

The firm, which was founded in 1978 and based at the Cambridge Printing Park in Milton, produced items including brochures, business cards, leaflets, magazines, posters, stationery and large-format graphics.

Its wholly owned trading subsidiary The Copy Centre was the first full-colour copying service in the UK.

Joint administrator Wright said: “It is hugely regrettable that a company with a loyal customer base and nearly 40 years trading history has had to close its doors.

“The company had been competing in a market that has been in chronic decline since the advent of online publishing. Despite best efforts to find a viable solution for the business, the joint administrators were forced to make all staff redundant on 3 March 2015 and cease trading the business.

“As joint administrators our primary focus will be to ensure that staff have been provided with the necessary support to make timely claims from the Redundancy Payments Service. We will continue to market the assets of the businesses to realise all that is possible in the interests of creditors.”

The joint administrators have had to cease trading the business as a going concern and have appointed valuers at Hilco Global to assist with the sale of assets. The sale will take place from today (18 March) to 25 March with a site viewing and online auction due to take place on 24-25 March.

The firm operated a Canon Océ CS9160 four-colour Roll-Film wide-format printer, an HP Indigo 3000 digital printer, a Heidelberg GTO 46 offset press and an Epson Stylus Pro 9800 colour proofer.

All of these machines are up for sale along with a wide range of finishing equipment from Muller Martini, Rilecart, Duplo, Renz, Seal, JBI, Morgana, Polar and Vivid Laminating Technologies.

A Roy Lichtenstein signed limited edition lithograph titled The Printing Process, which dates from 1970, is also for sale.