Standard Publishing House calls in the liquidators

It follows recent upheaval at the 107-year-old company, in particular a leasing dispute at its Strathfield site that drove it to relocate to Lane Cove West only two weeks ago.

Stephen Hathway from SV Partners was appointed as liquidator yesterday morning (16 September). His appointment awaits confirmation at the first creditors’ meeting, which is set to take place in the next eight business days.

The Strathfield site has already been repossessed by PKF on behalf of its owner.

Hathway told ProPrint that while it was “very early to give an informed view”, the expense of moving the company to the former Harvest Design & Print site in Lane Cove West may have been a factor in the company’s demise.

“Clearly having to move sites didn’t help ongoing trading, plus there’s a general weakness in the printing market,” he said

The company’s leased equipment is also in the process of being acquired by the relevant vendors. Hathway said Fuji Xerox had already taken back some of their leased equipment.

Hathway told ProPrint the equipment owned by SPH would be auctioned off to realise the debts of unsecured creditors, and that details of the auction would be made available in the coming days.

Standard Publishing managing director Neil Armstrong could not be reached for comment.

Armstrong told ProPrint two weeks ago that the company was relocating to Lane Cove West, with the plan to leave behind its 10-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster and focus more on digital and mailing.

Earlier this year the company acquired Rapid Digital out of administration and opened a North Sydney site, though this was recently closed.

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