Mark Shergill, who also owns Melbourne firm NewTone and Sydney operation Print Warehouse, has bought the customer list of Troedel-Docucopy and said the aim was to transfer clients to a new business called Troedel Print.
Troedel Print was registered on 12 July, according to ASIC. It operates out of the same block as BPA Print in the suburb of Burwood. Production is being handled by BPA Print and NewTone, he added.
Shergill has hired two former Troedel-Docucopy production staff, but no salespeople or directors.
The only Troedel-Docucopy assets he has acquired are the customer list and copies of the art files, not the business or the debt, added Shergill.
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He said the deal had come about because his acquisition of BPA Print had not gone as well as expected. He said only 40% of BPA Print's customers had remained with the firm, leaving it with spare production capacity. However, he said his attempt to fill BPA's presses with Troedel-Docucopy work was not going well because many of its clients had also moved on.
ProPrint has acquired a copy of an email Troedel Print sent to former Troedel-Docucopy clients. It reads: "It’s business as usual here at Troedel Print (Docucopy). Some changes but nothing that will affect the ongoing business relationship we have with you our valued customer. With your artwork files on hand, don’t forget we do the full range of printing both offset and digital."
Troedel-Docucopy was liquidated on 27 June, 14 months after being born out of a merger. Its production divisions were also wound up: offset arm Troedel & Co, which is officially known as William Troedel & Co, was liquidated on 25 June, while digital business Docucopy was liquidated on 4 July.
Troedel & Co director Alastair Troedel told ProPrint he was unhappy that Troedel Print was using the family name. He added that neither the family nor the liquidators had sold the 'William Troedel & Co' name.
Docucopy director David Shandler could not be reached for comment.
[LinkedIn: Can a failed company really get back on track?]
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