appointments 
The remaining equipment and stock at the Websdale printing premises in Sydney was auctioned off last week, with a smaller-than-expected crowd showing up to bid on a variety of machinery and office fittings. Websdale closed its doors last month after Pongrass Communications Group was purchased by Penfold Buscombe. The auction did not include Pongrass Digital, the long term future of which has yet to be formally announced.

Notably missing from the site was the company’s flagship presses, the Heidelberg Speedmaster SM102 12/P and Speedmaster 10/P, which made the move to Penfold Buscombe. The prepress department had also largely been removed.

The two presses, which much of the auction was centred around, were the drupa 2000 model Heidelberg CD102-5, and the 1997 model Heidelberg CD102-6, which were snapped up for $960,000 and $620,000 respectively in what were undoubtedly good deals for the purchasers.

A lot of interest was also generated by the Müller Martini Prima gatherer stitcher, which went for $240,000, and bidding was also heated for a variety of Polar, Stahl and MBO lots.

Along with sundry office fittings, computers and pressroom ancillaries, one of the more interesting lots was a piece of Australian printing memorabilia, the copper pot still that Websdale acquired when it purchased Pot Still Press several years ago. The handsome still went for $250.

All in all, it is estimated that National Auctioneers and Valuers managed to raise a little under $3m from the sale.