Fifty jobs saved in North Staffordshire bathrooms acquisition

FIFTY jobs have been secured in North Staffordshire with the acquisition of a bathrooms business in an undisclosed deal.

Silverdale Bathrooms, a new company supported by Midven’s Exceed Partnership and Skipton Business Finance, has acquired a Newcastle-under-Lyme ceramic manufacturing business, under license from the Jacuzzi Group.

The deal, for an undisclosed sum, will safeguard 50 jobs and create more as the customer service and kitchen sink activities are scaled up.

The Silverdale site has been manufacturing high-end ceramic bathroom pieces for almost 30 years, and will continue to manufacture the luxury B C Sanitan and Jacuzzi ceramic products marketed to bathroom specialists throughout Europe.  

The BC Sanitan brand has been included in the deal and will be supplied in future directly from the new company.  The Jacuzzi brand will be manufactured under licence and continue to be supplied via Jacuzzi UK.  In addition, the company has been developing its ceramic sink capabilities over the past 12 month and production is set to expand significantly over the next 12 months.

Silverdale is one of the few remaining ceramic factories manufacturing in the UK and has retained its highly skilled workforce. The range of vitrified china bathroom products are exported worldwide.  

Surjit Kooner, Investment Director of Midven, who oversaw the firm’s investment, said the decision supported one of the area’s traditional industries.

“This is a sector in which this region excels – and it is great news that not only have jobs been secured but that the company’s prospects are looking bright. Silverdale will be operating from a well laid out manufacturing facility producing high quality, hand crafted products with an industry experienced management team,” he said.

Silverdale will be led by Mark Prince, former managing director of Jacuzzi UK, and Dave Tutton, former marketing director, both of whom have invested in the new company.

Mr Prince said: “Some of the potters, who have worked at this site for many years, have a skill passed down from past generations. High quality British-made products are in demand – and we aim to fulfill that need. Our core ethos will be to produce ‘world best’ British ceramic products and provide the very best of service to our long term supporting retailers.  It’s a great project to be both leading and supporting and we are all very excited about our future.”

Yorkshire law firm Gordons advised the management team.