A Norfolk printing firm has gone into administration due to rising costs.
Swallowtail Print, based at a leased premises in Drayton near Norwich, has appointed administrators after an attempt to sell the business proved unsuccessful. All 44 employees of the c.£5.4 million turnover company have been made redundant.
Joint administrators Jo Watts and Andrew McTear of Norwich-based McTear Williams & Wood said the company had faced difficulties since the pandemic. In recent years, it was hit by inflation, soaring energy bills triggered by the war in Ukraine and rising employment costs on the back of changes announced in last October’s budget. “A significant amount of interest was received, but although several offers were made, none were for the company as a going concern and could not be proceeded with,” the administrators said.
Swallowtail Print ceased trading on 24 June, appointing administrators on 1 July 2025. It is anticipated that claims of creditors will be “in excess of £1m”.
In a post on LinkedIn, Swallowtail Print said: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce that after a period of difficult trading, we have appointed Jo Watts and Andrew McTear of McTear Williams & Wood Ltd as joint administrators of Swallowtail Print Ltd. We would like to thank all our dedicated staff, customers and suppliers who have supported us for many years.”
On its website, Swallowtail Print says it has “over 200 years’ experience in the printing industry”, starting out by “printing handbills of hangings at Norwich Prison”. The company became Swallowtail Print following a management buyout in 2001 – a merger of Norwich Colour Print and F Crowe and Sons.
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28 July 2025