Communisis: Nearly 650 jobs lost as firm enters administration

Nearly 650 jobs have been lost, administrators said

A Leeds-based printing business has been placed into administration, resulting in more than 600 job losses.

Communisis administrators said 638 jobs would go at sites in Leeds, Liverpool and Cramlington in Northumberland.

However, part of the business has been sold as part of the administration process, safeguarding 581 jobs, administrators said.

The company employed just over 1,000 people in the UK and about 200 overseas.

Stephen Absolom, managing director at Interpath Advisory and joint administrator, said: "First and foremost, we recognise that this will come as a devastating blow to those Communisis workers who have been impacted by redundancy.

"Our immediate priority will be to work with all affected employees to ensure that the full range of support is available to them."

'Challenging trading conditions'

He added that administrators would also make contact with the firm's key competitors, customers and other companies with regard to possible employment opportunities for staff.

According to the administrators, the group, which provided services for the UK's largest financial and public institutions, had been experiencing "challenging trading conditions" for some time.

These included declining volumes in the wake of the emergence of digital technologies and increased costs of production.

The firm's brand deployment business has been sold to Paragon Customer Communications as part of the administration process.

Joint administrator James Clark said: "The transaction with Paragon enables the historically profitable brand deployment business to move forward under new ownership, as well as ensuring the continuity of service to Lloyds Banking Group.