The petition, brought by Telford, Shropshire-based envelope manufacturer Mail Solutions UK at the Leeds District Registry on 9 February follows a “seriously overdue” account and a number of previous payment delays. It has so far drawn support from two creditors.
Mail Solutions originally kept the petition confidential, but decided last week to make it public after Print On Solutions, based in Century House, Millennium Drive, Leeds, failed to settle.
Mail Solutions sold approximately 66 million envelopes to Print On Solutions between 1 January and 31 October 2015.
The manufacturer said that was when Print On’s August account with the company became “seriously overdue”. It put the account on stop and reduced its credit limit for the future. The current debt stands at more than £144,000.
Mail Solutions financial director Phil Reid told PrintWeek: “Several promises of payment were made by Print On, but all failed to materialise. Mail Solutions therefore felt compelled to apply to court for a winding up petition in an effort to either obtain payment, or ensure that other unsuspecting creditors don’t suffer the same experience as Mail Solutions.
“Subsequent to our application, Print On latterly claimed that there were some questionable alleged “quality issues” which affected less than 110,000 envelopes out of the 66 million supplied in 2015 and which we vehemently dispute. They are now using these alleged quality issues as a reason for non payment of their debt.”
The printer continues to trade and could honour the debt before the court hearing set for 10.30am on 12 April.
But Reid said Print On had ample opportunity to negotiate a settlement so far and added “we are not anticipating that they will honour their debt”.
PrintWeek understands there is also a CCJ for £37,000 lodged with the High Court on 4 March against Print On Solutions by another creditor, which wishes to remain anonymous. Print On Solutions has until 13 May to respond.
Meanwhile, Print On Solutions directors Robert Binfield, Stephen Allott and Christopher Iredale incorporated a new company, called WEPOS, at the Century House address on 1 March.
Binfield and Allott are also directors of limited liability partnership Alpacka, incorporated on 30 January 2015.
Print On Solutions managing director Allott and sales and marketing director Iredale did not respond to PrintWeek’s requests for comment.
However, following contact from PrintWeek’s, Print On Solutions arranged a meeting with Mail Solutions.
Print On Solutions was incorporated on 14 February 2012 and was previously called SCB Print until a name change on 7 August 2013. Its accounts for the financial year to 31 March 2015 are overdue.
Prior to that Binfield, Allott and Iredale were directors of SCR Envelopes, which went into administration on 25 November 2013 owing creditors almost £1.2m and was wound up on 22 October 2014.
SCB Print acquired certain assets and customer contracts of SCR Envelopes on 7 August 2013 for £75,695.
Binfield, Allott and Iredale are also directors of SCR Print. Companies House lists a CVA for that company issued on 7 April 2014, which runs for three years.
On its website Print On claims that it has been in operation since 1999 and is "the largest envelope overprinter in the UK".
It says it has three offices, runs 12 litho presses and six digital presses and its headquarters is a 1,100sqm purpose-built factory in Leeds.
Print On Solutions is not connected with Cheadle, Cheshire-based printing business Print On.
