Managing director Chris Gersbach blamed razor thin profit margins and the increased buying power of printers for Moirs’ inability to operate at a decent profit level.

Rival merchants had been offered the opportunity to buy Moirs, but all declined. Newly formed Focus Paper, which began its operations in Melbourne and recently announced its intention to enter the Sydney market will pick up stock from Moirs for its new NSW branch in Girraween. Moirs and Focus will work together to transition customers.

Moirs had branches in Sydney, Canberra and Newcastle. It supplied coated and uncoated paper, carbonless, speciality writing papers, coated and uncoated boards, and self adhesives. It offered a next day delivery within Sydney.

Moirs was one of the few remaining family owned state merchants, its demise follows the purchase of similar merchants Jaeger by KW Doggett last year, Raleigh by Red Paper six months ago, and Boomerang by CPI three months ago, and signals the ending of an era for the local family owned paper merchant.

Australia today has four major paper merchant groups; the PaperlinX companies Dalton and Spicers, which have around 50 per cent of the market, CPI, Red Paper Group which includes Edwards Dunlop, and KW Doggett. There are a few remaining smaller merchants dotted around the country, including the newly formed Focus Paper, which intends to become a major player.

Rival merchants point to the dynamics of today’s business environment for the end of the viability of the state based family owned company.

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