The iconic Artarmon-based service and engineering company ceased to trade on 8 February with the appointment of insolvency experts Dean Willcock Shepard. The failure illustrates the depth of the structural change affecting the printing industry.
There are around 15 employees affected by the closure but it is likely all will receive their entitlements due to the prompt response of the directors. Plunkett and Johnson was owned and operated by industry identities Alex Imre and Steve Farrell. According to Cameron Gray from DWS there is no plan to do anything other than wind up the business.
The dearth of new press installations, especially new web presses, in recent years combined with the increasing sophistication of ancillary equipment has placed the service and maintenance sector under pressure. P and J did work for some of the major printing companies in the industry, notably Hannanprint. It represented such high-profile system control suppliers as Quad Tech and QI Press Controls. In recent years it has lost a number of supply agencies.
According to the administrators it is too early to say what the situation is with regards to ongoing maintenance contracts held by the company. A report and a notice of meeting will be issued to creditors shortly.