Hardy Business Forms has been rescued at the last minute by Moore Paragon parent Grenadier, which bought it for an undisclosed amount.


Castleford-based Hardy becomes part of Moore Paragon. Negotiations had been taking place since August. Only last week, administrative receiver Ernst & Young said it had not received a satisfactory offer for Hardy.


Grenadier has set up a new subsidiary called Hardy of Castleford to take over Hardy Business Forms. The firm has taken on the Castleford site and is currently looking for more premises in the same area.


No redundancies have been made since the purchase. Hardys managing director, Jonathan Stuart, and its finance director had already left. Sales director Roy Paget and production director Richard Bartram will be kept on.


Moore Paragon sales and marketing director Iain Black said: "Its business as usual. There have been some obvious changes, but production hasn't stopped."


This acquisition follows Paragons purchase of Harlands of Hull last December and Wordcraft in May.


"There are always a few irons in the fire we will see further acquisitions in the UK and in Europe," said Black. "The market for business forms is dwindling away and we will therefore make sure that we supply customers with print management, rather than a product."
Story by Jeremy Allen