Kern Ltd, based in Fareham, is the UK operation of Swiss inserting, mail sortation and packing specialist Kern Group.

Calls to the UK wing’s offices have gone unanswered this week. Initially the phone line diverted to an answering service, but earlier today (4 August) the line was just ringing out.

Requests for clarification about the situation sent via email to the UK have also received no response.

Kern Ltd's abbreviated accounts for calendar year 2021 show negative shareholders’ funds of £2.5m, an increase of £531,710 on the prior year’s negative figure.

The accounts also contain a material uncertainty note, and state that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, combined with other supply and business constraints, “could have a significant impact on Kern Limited”.

“It is feasible that these factors may result in the company requiring financial support from its immediate parent, Kern AG.

“Kern AG and the Kern Group have also been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, to the extent that they have taken out Covid-19 loans,” the statement continued.

“Under the terms of these loans the parent is currently unable to provide direct cash support to the company.”

However, Kern AG had pledged to continue to provide support through alternative measures for a period of at least 12 months from the date of the financial statements.

The accounts were signed off by director Ulrich Kern on 25 March 2022, so the 12 month period has now expired.

Customers are also in the dark. Central Mailing Services managing director Mitesh Chouhan said he had heard nothing directly from Kern, but another supplier had told him the firm was in the process of going into administration.

At the time of writing no filings regarding a potential administration could be found on official channels.

Printweek has made multiple requests for comment to Kern’s Swiss HQ, but without response.

Kern Ltd is not connected to London-based translation specialist Kern UK Ltd.