Laurie Manson and Bruce Cartwright, of PricewaterhouseCoopers, have been appointed as joint administrators to the £6m-turnover Scottish company. It is not yet known how many staff will be made redundant.

Manson said the business had grown successfully over recent years and is well regarded by its customers.

However, she said it had suffered from the general economic downturn and a lack of demand for high-quality products.

"Recognising these challenges, the management had implemented a number of strategic steps and had recently expanded its customer base.

"Unfortunately, this move has come too late to ensure that the anticipated overheads of running its custom-built plant could be met from a lower volume of turnover."

It is hoped that the business will trade for a short time while a buyer is sought.

Manson added: "We would encourage any parties interested in acquiring this business to get in touch with us."

Unite regional officer Norman King said the administration was an "absolute tragedy for the area".

He added: "We are hoping that it can be turned into a going concern. It's a devastating blow for the local area and a long-established, family-run business."

The Perth-based business was established in 1830 and provided quality printing services.