Hard Cheese Says UKWG As It's Curtains In Caerphilly But Live In Treorchy

Two mwn unload windows from a van

The UK Window Group’s Caerphilly HQ, incorporating one of its fabrication centres, is to close with some jobs moving to Treorchy. However, over half the fabrication staff are likely to lose their livelihoods. And it unsure how many office workers can be accommodated.

The announcement was made to those at risk of redundancy as they returned from furlough this week ending 4 August. Some were immediately put back on an interim furlough. A consultation, including the options to move to   the UK Window Group's (UKWG) site in Treorchy, is underway. The current HQ is on the Western Industrial Estate in Caerphilly town - where there is currently very little activity. 200 were employed at the factory alone.  UKWG has not indicated the levels at which they might be offered positions in Treorchy but has indicated the move is 'part of a longer-term restructuring plan'.

 

Who's who

The UK Window Group employed more than 1,100 staff and consisted of five different businesses across six sites. This includes Duraflex, the extrusion arm of the business, Evolution, a high-end timber replacement window manufacturer, Techniglass a manufacturer of integrated glass units, UKWG Composite Doors and Sevenday a national trade counter business with a number of outlets across the country.

The company had manufacturing capacity for more than 10,000 frames, 15,000 glass units and 500 composite doors each week and offered support services, such as lead generation and technical installation advice, to a variety of customers across the UK.

 

Management buy-out

In 2019 UKWG was acquired in a management buy-out from the international Masco Corporation. The MBO was assisted by Boxwood Capital. It has proven hard to fund the firm out of its difficulties - although the funder did sanction the immediate acquisition of PVC-U system supplier, Duraflex.

Duraflex is unlikely to see much if any of the £400,000 it was owed by the Customade Group which was the subject of a pre-pack liquidation and buy-back some weeks ago.

 

More finance

In March 2020, Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance provided the UK Window Group with a £12 million asset-based lending facility.

CFO George Shannon said at the time: “Secure Trust Bank could see that we were on track with our turnaround plan and coming out of a period of heavy losses.” Also at the time, Shannon was sure the facility would not only assist the turnaround but also allow growth - especially in the network of Sevenday trade counters.

Picture: Could this be the last windows loaded onto a truck at UKWG's Caerphilly site?

Article written by Cathryn Ellis
03rd September 2020

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