According to the latest Red Flag Alert from Begbies Traynor, there have been signs of some creditors, such as HMRC, taking a harder line in collecting debts.

Publication of the report came as at least six print SMEs fell into insolvency, including Kendall Press, Trafford Press Group, Northwest Trade Printers, Folding Services, Zap Digital and Lodge Printers.

Kendall Press, a £1.5m-turnover company in Trafford went into liquidation with BCR on Monday (18 October), with the loss of 30 jobs.

Meanwhile 25 staff lost their jobs at Trafford Press Group when it went into administration with Ian Schofield and Charles Escott of PKF (UK) on 12 October.

Northwest Trade Printers went into Administration on 6 October with Andrew Rosler of Ideal CS.

Bury St Edmunds-based finishing house Folding Services went into liquidation on 4 October with Steven Law of Ensors.

Elsewhere, there was a meeting of creditors at Begbies Traynor for Zap Digital Print, which has ceased to trade and is in the process of going into liquidation.

Lodge Printers in Huntington has also issued a notice to wind up on 19 October, and Michael Sanders and Georgina Eason of MacIntyre Hudson have been appointed joint liquidators.

However, some companies have been able to pull through; West Country Binders and Stoate & Bishop (Printers) entered into CVAs.