Richard Rasussen's Market Watch - 2013 year in review: Part 1

As 2013 draws to a close Richard Rasmussen, director of Ascent Partners, sits back from his monthly Market Watch and takes stock of the industry landscape. After another twelve months of market movements, mergers and acquisitions, closures and the close running on major equipment installs and sales, Richard takes a look back over an exciting and turbulent year for print.

Part 1 – Market Movements – Printers and Suppliers 2013.

There were many big names that fell – Geon, Vega, BPA, Pageset, Troedel – Docucopy, Complete Print Solutions, Print National, National Trade Print and Hyde Park Press to name a few. Many of these businesses were later acquired in varying shapes and forms.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom though, there were a good many acquisitions too, including the world’s largest where Consolidated Graphics purchased RR Donnelly in the USA, and many on the local front, proof that there is still confidence within our industry. There were also many mergers, alliances, new businesses, new premises, MBO’s and joint ventures.

The list below was compiled from the Market Watch bulletins that we published each month. It certainly is not a definitive list. Undoubtedly there have been numerous other unreported market movements, some of which we are unable to publish due to confidentiality constraints, but it certainly does provide a good overview of our industry’s activity during 2013.

For an even clearer insight into an industry in transition, be sure to look out for part two of this 2013 wrap-up, which will be published next week. This will focus on the major equipment sales and installations throughout the year.

1. A.    Closures – Printers

Q1  – Printability (VIC) winding up application, Kwik Kopy Bondi Junction (NSW) liquidation, Goprint (QLD) closure, Amcor (QLD) plant closure, Hyde Park Press (SA) auction, Australian Media Group (Aust) liquidation, Vega (VIC) receivership, Geon (Aust / NZ) receivership, Complete Print Solutions (VIC)administration, Cynergy (QLD) administration, Geon (QLD) plant closures , End Print Solutions (NSW) liquidation, Australian Printing Solution (VIC) Voluntary creditor’s liquidation, Print Media and Publishing Group (NSW), liquidation, BPA (VIC) receivers appointed, Kwik Kopy South Melbourne (VIC), liquidation.

Q2 – Precision Cutting Formes (SA) voluntary creditor’s liquidation, Park Printing (NSW) liquidation, Blue Star Hume Site (ACT) closure, Monoset (QLD), liquidation, Dynamic Print Group (QLD) voluntary creditor’s liquidation, Spectrum Printing Australia (NSW) liquidation, Impulse Printing (QLD) voluntary creditor’s liquidation, Graphic Litho (QLD) voluntary creditor’s liquidation, Print Master (NSW) liquidation, PMP Chullora (NSW) plant closure, Troedel / Docucopy (VIC) liquidation.

Q3 – Pageset (VIC) liquidation, Aberdeen Press (VIC) liquidation, APN (NSW) plant closure, Fairfax Media (wakato Times, NZ) plant closure, News Corp (Gold Coast, QLD) plant closure, Midway Print Group (VIC), voluntary creditor’s liquidation, Print National (NSW) receivership.

Q4 – Eg Print (NSW) liquidation, National Trade Print (NSW) administration, Hervey Print (VIC) voluntary creditor’s liquidation, Snap Printing Hub (QLD) closure , Print Portal (NSW) voluntary creditor’s liquidation, D&D Print Group (NSW) meeting for proof of debt,  Variable Data Print (NSW) creditor’s meeting.

1. B.     Closures – Suppliers

Q1 – Manroland Plauen - plant closure, Vida Paper – filed for bankruptcy, Plunkett and Johnson (Aust) administration.

Q2 – Luscher – bankruptcy

Q3 and Q4 – Agfa Italy – close factory

Sales / Acquisitions- Printers

Sales / Acquisitions- Suppliers 

Mergers, alliances, MBOs, new entries, joint ventures, consolidations, openings – Printers  

Mergers, alliances, MBOs, new entries, joint ventures, consolidations, openings – Suppliers