It's great news that the situation at Manroland GB has been successfully resolved, although I imagine those employees made redundant - including former managing director Norman Revill and finance director Chris Wells - will understandably be feeling very sore about how things turned out.

The next interesting thing is how the respective teams at Manroland Sheetfed and Manroland Web Systems tackle the legacy of Manroland's insolvency, which would seem to involve some quite complex issues.

Things appear relatively straightforward for Web Systems, where the team will mostly be engaged with re-negotiating service and support contracts.

But things look more complicated in sheetfed. Imagine being a customer who recently bought a new Manroland sheetfed press, complete with warranty and maybe even with a finance deal built around a buyback guarantee from Manroland. All of that will now be null and void. What about customers who had paid deposits on new machines?

To the relief of some customers residual values on secondhand presses have apparently rebounded after falling upon the initial insolvency news. 

Picking the bones out of that little lot will doubtless involved some 'interesting' conversations.

The spares side of the business is a crucial ongoing profit stream, but I'm already hearing that cheaper Chinese-made Manroland parts are finding favour with some buyers.

The other thing I'm intrigued to learn more about is how the now-separate companies will handle things like the Pecom system and press electronics. Does that reside in one part of the business, or will it be split with each of the companies run their own teams for ongoing developments?

Shall hope to find answers to these, and other questions, at Drupa.