Ben Eaton’s father Peter Eaton has been identified as the purchaser of various assets following the liquidation of the Starleaton business.
Information obtained by Sprinter show Peter Eaton purchased these assets at two separate auctions that took place on Monday 4 August and Monday 11 August to clear the remaining assets including consumables, equipment and furniture from the company’s premises at St Leonards.
Prior to the auctions, Starleaton held clearance sales that were heavily promoted to the industry.
Starleaton was founded by Peter Eaton in 1978.
According to the company’s website: “Starleaton has always had the goal of providing quality end to end solutions. We will continue to protect the legacy of our family-owned company by growing a sustainable business, keeping abreast of innovation, trends and premium product offerings, underpinned by our never-ceasing commitment to provide a level of service that is agile and adaptable to support you in the ever-changing print environment.”
Information obtained by Sprinter has confirmed that Peter Eaton purchased a range of assets during the auctions through another company.
Sprinter understands Peter Eaton was always the owner of the Starleaton business name and intellectual property and these were licensed to his children based on loan agreements when he sold the business to Ben, Melissa, and Josh Eaton in 2019.
According to a statement published in April 2024 following the passing of a Deed of Company Arrangement (DOCA) that reinstalled Ben Eaton as CEO of Starleaton the company made this pledge:
“While unsecured creditors may recover only a portion of their dues, the DOCA presents a more favorable outcome compared to liquidation. Despite initial skepticism, the acceptance of the DOCA was bolstered by an $800,000 contribution from company founders Peter and Leanne Eaton, as well as Starleaton Pty Ltd. Ben Eaton’s commitment to allocate over $30,000/month for 24 months underscores a dedication to revitalising operations.
“The proposed business restructuring, focusing on core consumable sales with a streamlined footprint and workforce reduction, positions us optimally to fulfill our obligations going forward,” remarks Ben Eaton.
“While liquidation might have seemed easier with the FEG scheme covering staff entitlements, it was not an acceptable outcome, as it would have yielded no returns for other creditors. The intent behind entering into the DOCA is to honour the company’s past commitments, particularly in regards to staff entitlements, in their entirety. We are actively engaging with individual unsecured parties to achieve a mutually beneficial resolution.”
Ben Eaton highlights, “The DOCA grants us the opportunity to collaborate with customers and suppliers and make good where we can”.
In June this year, Starleaton failed to meet its promised repayments and was placed into liquidation.
The payment records showed just $366,666.30 was paid of the promised $800,000 – or 11 of the 24 scheduled payments – with the last instalment paid on 28 February 2025.
“We suggest that all employees of the Companies lodge a claim with FEG for their unpaid entitlements,” the liquidators said in June.
A final report to creditors by the liquidators is expected to be released this month.
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