HAPPY CHRISTMAS: 61 jobs saved at historic door firm in Sheffield

Sixty one jobs have been saved at a historic handmade Sheffield door factory - handing workers a happy Christmas.
Longden Doors factory on Parkwood RoadLongden Doors factory on Parkwood Road
Longden Doors factory on Parkwood Road

Longden Doors, of Parkwood Road, has been bought out of administration by a private equity firm promising to invest in the business.

Longden, established in 1838, was part of the Laidlaw Interiors Group which employs 969 and includes seven businesses in the UK. The group went into adminstration on Friday.

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Administrators at Deloitte have found a buyer, the investment house Valtegra, for four of the businesses, including Longden, safeguarding 390 jobs.

Longden general manager David Grimshaw said it was excellent news just before the factory closed down for Christmas.

He added: “Longden is profitable and has had a very good year. But as part of group we have been living with uncertainty for the final quarter of this year. Trading was difficult and cash flow was a problem.

“Now we can look to the future with the promise of investment. Longden is an excellent brand with a long and rich history.”

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The firm’s website states the original Sheffield-based Longden company grew to become one of the top 10 building and civil engineering contractors in 19th century Britain.

Prestigious contracts include Sheffield City Hall and more recently the £70m Connaught Hotel restoration and the redevelopment of Durham Town Hall.

It adds: ‘Longden always considers traditional, apprentice-based craftsmanship and the development of skills as its major strengths.

‘All Longden timber doors and doorsets are manufactured individually to order, giving total design freedom.’

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A Deloitte spokeswoman said Laidlaw Interiors Group began a sale process in November after ‘significant delays with several major contracts alongside other unhelpful external trading conditions’.

LIG was formed in August 2011 through the combination of the doorsets and ironmongery businesses of Laidlaw with the interiors manufacturing division of Sheffield company SIG plc.