Insolvency firm buys Paton Brown

A south Manchester-based printing services firm has been saved from imminent downfall and the dismissal of around 20 workers following its acquisition by administrators.

The family-operated Paton Brown is now jointly managed by Andrew Poxon and John Titley, from Leonard Curtis, an insolvency company, as of December 7.

Paton Brown, which runs from offices at Levenshulme and Ashton, takes up direct mail and printing services for blue chip customers, and has been in the business for half a century.

Ian Cooper, the firm's managing director, had said two years ago that Paton Brown witnessed a very profitable year with turnover mushrooming to £10 million from £3 million. This increase, according to Mr Cooper, had been fuelled by mailing contracts from energy companies such as British Gas and Scottish & Southern Energy.

The growth had further helped the company to acquire two reconditioned presses for a sum of £1.5 million.

In spite of the claim by Mr Cooper, a Leonard Curtis spokesperson said that Paton Brown had begun to experience a slump after a major client backed away, adding that the "pre-packaged" and mutually-agreed administration contract was not only good news for the workforce but also profitable for the company itself.

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