Longbeach Printing, which is owned privately by well-known industry identity Michael Wu appears to have shut down its operations only weeks after Wu was asked to leave Melbourne’s Docklands Ability Group.

Wu only bought Longbeach from its previous owner Josh de Groot in January in a bid to boost wide format operations. It always traded as a separate entity from mega merger Docklands Ability, although it supplied wide format to the group.

It is understood Longbeach has switched off its presses for the time being. Calls to the Seaford premises are unanswered and the printer’s website appears to have shut down.

A printer close to Longbeach’s Seaford location says there has been no movement at the premises, and says they were told of the company’s closure after an employee informed them yesterday.

[Related: Aboughattas: We told Wu to walk]

It is believed Wu owes debt to a number of printers around the Melbourne area from both his Ability operation and Longbeach.

Since Wu’s departure from Docklands Ability the former print boss has been unreachable for comment.

Longbeach converted from an offset house to digital a year ago, and houses an HP Indigo 7800 and Fuji Xerox Color 700 Press. The company also invested in a wide format Agfa Anapurna M2050. 

Former owner Josh de Groot’s son John de Groot had remained with Longbeach as general manager following Wu’s acquisition.

Wu was ejected from Docklands Ability Group earlier this month after co-owners Abbey and Moody Aboughattas discovered incorrect information was passed onto them prior to the merger.

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