Rail carriage painting firm facing uncertain future

A company which paints new rail carriages at Alstom’s Litchurch Lane site in Derby is facing an uncertain future.

Paintbox Transportation Services, which is part of the Paintbox Group, has posted a notice of intention (NOI) to appointment administrators. The move gives the company around two weeks of breathing space to try and find a way forward – and protects it from creditor action.

The Paintbox Group has also posted a NOI for its Paintbox Banbury business, where it paints and assembles full vehicle and lightweight car body panels. The facility specialises in bespoke vehicle painting and coating of Carbon and composite materials.

Paintbox has worked for the likes of Aston Martin, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, JLR, BMW, McLaren and Volkswagen – as well as Bombardier Transportation, before it was bought by Alstom.

The wider Paintbox Group claims to have 300 staff and an annual turnover of £30m. In its latest available accounts, made up to the end of 2021, Paintbox Transportation Services employed 60 people.

The company did have a site in Birmingham, but this was closed in 2020 due to effects of the pandemic.