Accountancy group Andersen has been called in as administrative receiver at Northamptons Flair Press, part of the Spectrum Flair Group.

However, currently the rest of the Spectrum Flair Group companies - Spectrum Flair Press, Speedprint, Spectrum Flair Direct, Spectrum Flair Finishing and Spectrum Flair Digital - are not part of the administrative receivership.

Ian Best and Adrian Wolstenholme from Andersen are understood to have been called in by the companys bankers.

The firm, which employs 210 staff, forms part of the so-called Northampton cluster of long sheetfed press users, and its press battery included eight- and ten-colour Speedmaster 102s. It also runs 16pp and 8pp Heidelberg webs.

The firm is understood to owe 5m, and paper companies are likely to bear the brunt of the fallout. Howard Smith, Gerald Judd, Bunzl and Robert Horne are owed a total of more than 2m.

"It's only down the road from us and we know a lot of people there who will lose their jobs by the looks of it," said Howard Smith finance director David Murphy." We dont like to start the year this way.

Close Asset had financed most of the company's equipment. Assistant managing director Murray Booker said: "Most people rallied around to try and help, but the one with the biggest clout and least to lose didn't. They are nice lads and I don't think they deserve this. I'm keen to help if I can."

Spectrum Flair created a new structure in 1999 comprised of the following companies: Spectrum Flair Press - web and B1 (the former Flair Press); Speedprint - B2 (the former Spectrum Press); Spectrum Flair Direct - direct mail;
Spectrum Flair Finishing - specialist finishing; Spectrum Flair Digital - repro.

The group was formed following a buyout of Adscenes print operations in 1998.