Litho Supplies went into administration with MCR on 22 December 2009, alongside subsidiaries Muro Digital and Graphica Plus.

On 30 December 2009, the consumables division of Litho Supplies was sold to DM1 (Herts). The company's director is Paul McGowan, understood to be chief executive of turnaround investors Hilco. However, Eddie Williams will run the business as managing director.

He told PrintWeek: "I am a director in name only and am not a shareholder, there is new investment in the business, I have been asked to run it. We are back down to our core product."

Williams added that the new company, which will have a turnover of around £16m, would  change its name to Litho Supplies in the next few days.

As well as bringing the management team across, DM1 (Herts) has taken on 82 staff from Litho Supplies.

According to Agfa UK managing director Laurence Roberts, Agfa has not yet made a decision on whether to supply the new company.  Roberts said: "We will be talking to the new owners. I am not ruling anything out, I am not saying I will or won't supply them, I am saying I am open to be spoken to. I don't think one should make these judgements hastily."

However, one company that will definitely not be supporting it is Fuji. The Japanese-owned supplier issued a statement this morning, distancing itself from Litho Supplies.

It said: "Fujifilm UK would like to clarify that as part of the company's policy of not supporting pre-pack or phoenix companies, it will not be supporting the new Litho Supplies company.  

"Fujifilm would like to reassure any printers using its products previously supplied by Litho Supplies (UK) Ltd that it will do whatever it can to support them through its other established distribution channels."

Williams stressed however that the company was not a pre-pack and said that the new owners are currently "taking legal action" regarding Fuji's statement.

He also said that the new company would "cope with it" and that "everyone else has said they will stick with us – suppliers have been very sympathetic".

Muro Digital, which accounts for around £4m of Litho Supplies' £49m turnover, has also been sold. MCR sold it to Zerographic on 31 December 2009. Around 35 jobs have moved across.

PrintWeek understands that Graphica Plus, which trades as Andersons, has also been sold. However, this has yet to be confirmed.

ARTICLE UPDATED ADDING QUOTE FROM LAURENCE ROBERTS OF AGFA 13:40, 5 JANUARY