Sydney Allen Printers is in ‘external administration’ with its trade suppliers facing a nervous wait to see how much if any of their invoices will be paid. It is the first big print business collapse of the year, at a time when many in the industry were hoping the worst was behind. The receivers have not yet given a reason why the $14m turnover business has gone under, but it has been struggling for a number of years.

Knock out: Sydney Allen in administration

Its current owners, John Mangos and Lee Barnsley, were contacted for comment but were unreachable, while calls to the factory cut out. The fate of the staff is unknown. It is unknown if the administrators will try and sell the business as a going concern, although that has to be a long shot given that there has been little investment in recent times A number of its clients have called the Australian Printer office earlier today with concerns about print work the company that is based in Sydney’s western suburbs Sydney Allen is currently handling. Sydney Allen’s financial woes date back to at least June last year when the struggling printer sought help from print identity turned business financier Bob McMillan. As part of a ‘restructuring plan’, McMillan lent money to Sydney Allen to buy out one of its three directors. In 2012, Sydney Allen merged with collapsed printer Good Impressions, a deal which was tipped to be a ‘marriage made in heaven’. More to come.

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