The company entered administration Monday afternoon (5 December) following its parent company Manroland AG, which filed for insolvency on 25 November.

M Partners managing director Murray Lock, who spent 20 years with the company until 2006 said: "Undoubtedly this is a very sad turn of events for all of the employees of Manroland GB. Having worked with many of them as colleagues for a number of years I feel an even greater sense of concern for both the employees and for their families.

"When you consider the contraction in the number of UK printers during recent years, very little has changed with regard to the number of businesses seeking to supply printing and related equipment. Manroland seems unlikely be the only major supplier that will suffer this fate, given the current state of the industry.

"In our opinion, suppliers should be involved in as many alternative revenue streams as possible. Any manufacturer solely reliant on the sale of printing equipment is going find 2012 a very tough year."

Print Research International director John Charnock added: "This is such a shame. I've spent a lot of money with Manroland over the years, there are many very good people there and they have some great technology. For it to go would be a real shame."

And, DPM managing director Mark Sheldrick said: "Having worked there and been involved in the selling of many Manroland presses over the years, both new and used, I'm absolutely devastated. There are a lot of very good people there and at a time like this your heart goes out to them."