Mon, 16 Jun 2025 | ADMINISTRATION
A Blackburn-headquartered manufacturer of aluminium door and window systems has fallen into administration following a period of significant financial pressure. Alufold Direct Limited was founded in 2014 and employed around 100 staff prior to entering administration.
However, Mark Hodgett and Philip Armstrong of FRP Advisory were appointed as joint administrators of the company on June 10, with the majority of employees made redundant upon their appointment.
The company’s collapse came after it experienced a period of financial pressure, which resulted in a potential sale process not proceeding as planned. Despite directors undertaking efforts to secure alternative funding, they were unable to do so and concluded that the business could not continue trading in its current form.
The joint administrators are now seeking a buyer for the business and its assets, with a small number of staff retained to assist.
In the company’s most recent accounts, for the year to December 31 2023, it reported turnover of £13.8 million, down from around £17 million a year earlier, while its pre-tax losses grew slightly from just under £1 million to £1.1 million.
At the time, its fixed assets were valued at £1.9 million and current assets at £4.5 million, with net liabilities standing at slightly under £450,000.
Alufold Direct is based at a manufacturing and customer support site in Blackburn, which includes a state-of-the-art Aluminium Glazing Design Centre, offering a trade counter, showroom and technical support hub.
Commenting on the company’s collapse, joint administrator and FRP Advisory partner Mark Hodgett said that Alufold Direct was a “recognised player in the UK aluminium fenestration market, but unfortunately, the business became increasingly constrained by liquidity pressures.”
He continued: "Despite the best efforts of the management team to secure a solvent sale with strong interest in the business they couldn't complete the transaction in time. We are now focused on preserving value and exploring a potential sale and would encourage any interested parties to get in touch with us at the earliest opportunity."
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