60 jobs cut at prolific exporter
TWO divisions at a £10m-turnover exporter based in Wakefield have been cut with the loss of 60 jobs.
Within the Group Rhodes set of businesses, Joseph Rhodes and Slater & Crabtree will be axed, saving four other companies according to administrators at PwC.
The 191 year-old business turned over £10.1m in 2014. It made The Sunday Times BT Business Export Track 100 in May 2015 as a major supplier to the Chinese aerospace sector as well as the Australian and Canadian mints. It has also won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise twice.
The business manufactures presses for coin mills, aerospace components and brick-making machinery.
In July, chairman of Group Rhodes, Mark Ridgeway OBE joined the board of Leeds LEP board.
PwC joint administrators Toby Underwood and Lyn Vardy from PwC were appointed on 23 August 2016.
PJoseph Rhodes Ltd and Slater & Crabtree Ltd were no longer profitable, according to PwC.
Group Rhodes, Rhodes Interform Ltd, Craven Fawcett Ltd and Hallamshire Engineering Services Ltd are therefore unaffected by the insolvency process.
A PwC spokesperson said: “The restructure is preserving the jobs of 62 employees within the remaining group.
“Unfortunately as a result of the immediate closure of Joseph Rhodes and Slater & Crabtree 62 individuals have been made redundant by the administrators.
“These employees will be fully supported by our team over the coming weeks.”
