In the second high-profile print collapse of the week Sumo Visual Group is under administration. The fall has been met with surprise and shock from the industry in Melbourne. The company’s website is down and information scant about why it went under. The 11-year-old Port Melbourne outfit was a full service visual solutions firm, providing everything from point of purchase to outdoor signage for its retail clients. It also had a sales office in Sydney.

(L-r) Ken Swan, CEO; Gary Fawcett, national sales director; and Russel Morgan, general manager of operations with Sumo Visual Group

It had this year won a partnership with a major Aussie retailer to supply not only its domestic stores, but international franchisees through a network of offshore partners. Just back in March it brought on a new industrial scale HP Scitex FB10000 digital press as additional capacity, backed with a large format guillotine to kick work out to brand customers faster. In the same month it won its second Global Popai Award for two years running, for an interactive touchscreen display for Chemmart Pharmacy. The group is partially owned by majority shareholder Harbert Australia, the Australian private equity arm for US investment outfit Harbert Management Corporation.  

Comment below to have your say on this story.

If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.  

Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter