UPDATE (11:30am): CNC Packaging was placed into administration late on Wednesday. Accountants Grant Thornton have been appointed as administrators and are preparing a statement to be released later. CPC have not made any comment. Parent company Groupe CPC is understood to not be affected by the closure of the two sites.

Amidst industry speculation about the business's future, staff have been sent home from the King's Lynn and Bristol sites of carton printer CNC Packaging.

Steve Ireland, Unite regional officer, told Packaging News that the staff at the King's Lynn branch were sent home on the 24th, whilst production is understood to have been halted at the Bristol site.

Sales director of CPC, Jeff Lewis, has not been taking calls with regards to the company's future. He has however told PrintWeek that some production staff had been sent home.

It is anticipated that the firm shall call in administrators in order to discuss where to go from now. Accountancy firm Grant Thornton are the rumoured interested party.

As the man responsible for union representatives at the King's Lynn site, Ireland said: "My understanding is that administrators are on site in Bristol and that they are coming to King's Lynn tomorrow. If that is the case I hope to get a phonecall to go and meet them."

However, Lucy Eaton, speaking on behalf on Grant Thornton, told Packaging News that the company had not been appointed and were not going to discuss the situation any further.

Suppliers have stopped shipping goods to the business, claiming that there has not been communication for a few days.

This is the latest snag for the carton supplier. Chris Dew, former general manager of the Bristol and King Lynn branches, departed the company to join Clondalkin's UK label operation just a few weeks ago.

However, there have been no signs that his departure is related to the situation the business now finds itself in.