Image source: Linkedin

Sydney-based print broker Mesh Direct has gone into voluntary administration with several printers caught up in the collapse of the company.

Mesh Direct owes a number of wide format printers hundreds of thousands of dollars as well as staff entitlements of more than $250,000 – with total debt calculated to be $1,924,086.53.

Printers who have been caught up in the collapse of Mesh Direct include Jetmark Trade Signage (owed $218,327), Billboard Media (owed $82,853.46), Complete Banner Service ($22,938.40) and Insane Signs & Print (owed $19,269.83).

Sprinter understands that Mesh Direct director, Andrew Doenicke, was still operating his business a week ago and told printers he hoped to trade out of his financial difficulties in relation to a debt owed to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) which has been disclosed to be $875,419.58.

Mesh Direct owes Amex Centurion $102,000, Amex Business $75,000, FedEx $37,899.96 as well as two $100,000 debts to PayPal and Business Fuel.

Nicarson Natkunarajah from Roger and Carson has been appointed as administrator of Sydney-based print broking business Mesh Direct. The first meeting of creditors has been scheduled for 22 April.

Mesh Direct staff have been desperately seeking work from other printers within the industry after they were told that they had lost their jobs when they turned up to work.

While Mesh Direct was not a printer, they did utilise the services of several large printing companies – particularly in New South Wales and Victoria.

One printer who spoke to Sprinter on the condition of anonymity was scathing about the way they did business.

“They were not printers – they owned a couple of computers and a couple of mobile phones. They were just marketing people really and could be described as brokers at best,” the printer said.

“All they would do is play me against the next person and we would go around and around and around until nobody made any money. They would basically bully the crap out of us.

“I feel sorry for the loyal staff in the business that were willing to back Andrew and were told that the business would be trading out of its difficulties.”

A recent post on social media showed the company staff enjoying some ‘mindfullness’ – participating in an ice bath and morning breathwork – led by Doenicke.

Above: Mindfulness session at Mesh Direct

The company recently gathered for its annual sales conference in Queenstown New Zealand under the theme ‘Reaching for the Summit’.

“We embarked on a journey of reflection and future planning, taking stock of our achievements in 2023 and setting the stage for an even more remarkable 2024 with the stunning backdrop of Queenstown the Mesh team bonded over delicious food including lunch at Amisfield, hikes in nature, and the thrilling Shotover adventure”.

Above: The Mesh Direct team at the recent Queenstown conference with Andrew Doenicke (left)

Mesh Direct described itself as a leader in construction and event signage and claimed to be Australia’s first carbon-neutral signage company.

“Mesh Direct is one of Australia’s leaders in grand format printing and out of home advertising,” the company said.

“All our products are printed within Australia using the finest substrate and inks on the market and we guarantee the longevity and quality of all our work. At Mesh Direct we work with some of the largest (and smallest) Australian businesses. We work with a broad range of industries although we focus on the construction and development industries, music festivals, sporting events, all levels of government and government services and retail.

“Our advantageous pricing also means we supply many smaller printers who don’t have the facilities for grand format printing. We provide innovative solutions for our clients from branded vinyl hoardings to enormous building wraps. Some of our products include banner mesh, vinyl banners, shade cloth, corflute and printed aluminium panels. If it needs to be big then we do it!”

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