Last rites for well-known industry icon

The closure of Kalamazoo follows a history in the Australian and New Zealand printing industry that stretches over 80 years, growing over this time to include flexible business systems, print management and e-commerce among its offerings. In 2005 the Kalamazoo Group employed in excess of 100 people.

News emerged in September that the business had been placed into receivership under McGrath Nicol by the National Australia Bank, after the company was unable to meet its financial obligations or secure alternate funding. McGrath Nicol is now responsible for coordinating this week's impending auction in conjunction with Hymans Asset Management.

When the Kalamazoo Group was placed into receivership in September, Chris Honey from McGrath Nicol insisted at the time that its core printing, warehousing and logistic business would continue to trade while a purchaser was sought.

“Kalamazoo is a well established business with a highly recognised brand and a blue chip client base. We are exploring all avenues in order to secure the future of the business and the workforce,” Honey claimed.

While McGrath Nicol called for expressions of interest to be lodged by early October, the firm has confirmed that a suitable purchaser could not be found in the time period. This led to the decision to cease the operations of the Kalamazoo Group, and to auction off the equipment owned by the company.

While the first day of the auction will involve the sale of the business's office and network equipment, the auction event on Friday will be of most interest to the industry, and is billed by the organisers as 'Australia's largest printing auction this year'. An extensive range of graphic arts equipment will go under the hammer, stretching from prepress to printing presses across to finishing equipment.

The printing equipment on sale will include two Roland five-colour presses, a Komori two-colour press, as well as a total of five Heidelberg machines, including both of the two-colour presses used by Kalamazoo, two one-colour presses and a single-colour press.

The finishing equipment on sale will include an assortment of guillotines, several folder machines, a Rima collating and stitching line, two Horizon collators, an Akebond paper counter, three Portland multipunches, two Ladypack packaging machines, as well as an extensive collection of other equipment that covers the entire spectrum of available finishing options.

On the prepress side, Barco Crescent and Linotype-Hell platemakers will be moved out during the auction, as well as Kodak and Dupont plate processors.

The auction will take place at 9 Ferndell Street in Granville, Sydney, on November 3 and 4 between 9am and 4:30pm on both days. A catalogue of the equipment for sale can be viewed at www.hymansassetmanagement.com.au, while Russell Butler can be contacted for enquiries on 0416 151504.