107 year-old manufacturer bought out of administration

A £12m-turnover manufacturer which has been in business for more than 100 years has been brought back from the brink.

It was announced last week that Sellers Global Engineers, a Huddersfield manufacturer which employs 46, had entered administration due to “challenging” trading conditions. A number of people were made redundant.

The Leeds Road-based company was founded in 1912 and is one of only three large manufacturers of carpet finishing machinery in the world.

At the time, Philmore & Co were appointed as administrators, and they have now reported that a consortium of investors has stepped forward to save the business.

The historic firm has been acquired by the consortium led by Charlie Armitage of Sellers of America, the US division of Sellers, based in Georgia, US.

The consortium includes the holding company of Netherlands floor-covering equipment manufacturer ETF Machinefabriek represented by Ruud Koppens, and Robert Scaife of Georgia-based Innovative Automation, a systems integrator and Automation specialist.

Mr Armitage, who has been running Sellers of America for the past 25 years, will take over the role of managing director at the business. David Armitage will also bring his wealth of experience to the negotiations and will join the board in an advisory role.

The company will operate under the name of Sellers Textile Engineers.

Longstanding Sellers employees Neil Miller and Danny Chambers join the board and will oversee technical and production departments respectively, in addition to existing sales roles.

Managing director Charlie Armitage commented: “A hiring drive is under way and will be ramped up in the coming weeks once certain large contracts have been secured.”