Shock closure of Burnley factory: 100 jobs move

The company, which began life as a plating service, and went on to become a major bathroom supplier, is closing its Burnley operation at Widow Hill Road.

Around 60 staff, mainly office-based, have been told they must relocate to the company’s other bases in Bolton and Halifax.

The Burnley Express understands that the company began moving its warehousing operation to Bolton early last year.

One employee, who did not wish to be named, said: “There have been no meetings and no redundancy offered. For many people, commuting to Bolton or Halifax will not be worth their while. It is sad because there are a lot of loyal employees here who have worked at the company for many years.”

Ultra Finishing was founded by Steve Heys at Elm Street, Burnley, in 1982, and has since grown to become a major global exporter.

In 2012, Ultra Finishing bought Halifax-based bathroom distributor Niko Distribution, and in 2013 acquired Mark Two.

According to its website, the company then employed 392 people with a turnover of £63.4m.

A spokesman said: “We have sold the Burnley premises to a local company with exciting expansion plans.

“We did consider relocating to another site in Burnley, however having looked at this option it is decided the business would continue to be disjointed and is not a preferred option.

“We are in a position where we have other premises to which we could relocate; there are benefits to this not just from a cost perspective but also as part of the objective to consolidate our teams.

“Therefore the proposal is to relocate departments to our other premises at either the Bolton or Halifax sites.

“The great news is that we can accommodate all staff and roles in our other sites without the need for losses or redundancies. The priority is to work with staff and support them in this transition. The company has already offered reduced working hours and a pay increase to offset additional travelling time and cost. For those who don’t drive a return bus has been proposed to and from the Halifax site and employees are also considering car share options.”