Wu’s woes mount as On Demand into admin

One time Victorian print high flyer Michael Wu’s travails are continuing as his On Demand Printing business enters voluntary administration after he failed to find a buyer for the business.

It is understood some 30 staff members were asked to leave last week as Wu looks to wind up the business. ProPrint called On Demand’s Port Melbourne premises, the phones are being answered by an outsourced reception team.

ProPrint understands Wu owes significant debt across the Vic print scene from his operations On Demand, Longbeach and original business Ability Press, with suppliers nervously waiting on developments.

On Demand’s slide into the abyss comes just a week after Wu’s recenely acquired Longbeach Printing closed its doors, and two weeks after Wu’s former business partners Moody and Abbey Aboughattas told Wu to leave their Docklands Ability Group, claiming he had not been entirely forthcoming over figures when the trio merged their businesses and bought Mercedes Waratah last year.

On Demand was bought by Wu in November 2014 from former owner Bruce Peddlesden, and trading under the name of Production Print Australia after Wu triumphed in a public bidding war for the one time darling of the digital print world. On Demand is still touted as Australia’s biggest digital player. Peddlesden put the business into administration in October 2014.

Wu only bought Longbeach Printing in January this year from long-time owner Josh De Groot. Longbeach converted from an offset house to digital a year ago, and had an HP Indigo 7800 and Fuji Xerox Color 700 Press. The company also invested in a wide format Agfa Anapurna M2050. 

Josh de Groot’s son John de Groot had remained with Longbeach as general manager following Wu’s acquisition.

The adminstrator for On Demand is Matthew Gollant of Rodgers Reidy in Melbourne.

 

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