Firm acquires former Leaderflush Shapland factory

UK Fire Doors has agreed a £500,000 lease for the site and struck a deal for all plant, machinery and stock at the factory.

It means production is now underway again at the site in Milnhay Road, Langley Mill, after well-known door manufacturers Leaderflush Shapland closed at Christmas with the loss of almost 400 jobs.

The acquisition by UK Fire Doors has created 20 job opportunities for former Leaderflush Shapland staff, with the number expected to double in the coming months.

Tim Askew, managing director of UK Fire Doors, said: “The company is committed to continuing with its drive to increase manufacturing capacity of timber door sets in the UK and to securing the long-term future of key workers within the industry.

“Following strong growth in recent years, we saw our recent acquisition as a great opportunity to bring back manufacturing to Langley Mill.

“Langley Mill is a place that has been at the heart of the UK’s door manufacturing industry for many years.

“We continue to invest heavily in new systems, technology and people to ensure we are able to support the enhanced manufacturing capacity and provide a service that is second to none in the industry,” he added.

A UK Fire Doors spokesman said the company had received funding from Close Brothers Business Finance to help support the deal.

Leaderflush Shapland’s parent company Laidlow Interiors Group went into administration on December 18 last year.

Buyers were found for four other divisions in the Laidlow Group – but no buyer was found for Leaderflush Shapland.

The group employed 969 staff and 390 jobs were saved after the four divisions were bought by a London company.

Leaderflush Shapland’s website stated the firm prided itself on delivering ‘ultimate reliability’.

A spokesman for administrators Deloitte said: “Leaderflush Shapland has suffered significant ongoing losses making trading unsustainable.” Former Leaderflush Shapland workers said the firm had cashflow problems.