Directors at the company, which was bought by Litho Supplies in 2008 but retained a separate identity, said that the company will trade normally over Christmas, while any issues arising from Litho Supplies problems will be sorted by the new year.

A statement from the board of directors, which is headed up by managing director Tony Hards, said: "GAE is not in administration and continues to operate with the full support of its manufacturers, suppliers and staff to meet the capital investment and after-sales service requirements of its many valued customers.

"Although GAE has been operated on a different basis to the rest of the Litho Supplies Group since it became a Litho Supplies company in 2008, there remain complex structural technicalities that require attention in the light of Litho Supplies' recent administration; the GAE directors are certain that these will have been resolved when business resumes after the Christmas break."

Litho Supplies and subsidiary companies Muro Digital and Graphica Plus went into administration with MCR on 22 December.

The companies will continue to trade over Christmas but it is unclear at this stage how they will proceed in 2010.