Garden timber products manufacturer dandf Garden Products has launched a major expansion programme following its acquisition from receivership by private investors two months ago.
The purchase of the business was led by Richard Fawcett, managing director of Palgrave Brown, with partner Paul Phillips, who is now financial director of dandf.
The deal was finalised at the end of March and the company has now relocated to a new 120,000ft2 site at Ackworth, West Yorkshire. The move has enabled dandf to increase its stockholding four-fold and improve its distribution capability with a new fleet of lorries.
Chairman Mr Fawcett – who says Palgrave Brown will remain the main activity in his life – said: ‘All the machinery and staff were moved to the new premises. We will be investing further in additional machinery and equipment to secure the future of the company.’
Mr Fawcett said that orders were being received at 50% beyond dandf’s ability to produce so there are also plans to increase the workforce.
The business is seasonal and he explained: ‘The problem before it went into receivership was that the company didn’t have any money and therefore couldn’t do any “catch up” in the quiet months.
‘When we took the business over there was no raw material, no work in progress and no stock. Within the first two weeks we put £120,000 worth of wood into the factory just to fill up the pipeline.’
He expects turnover to be about £4.5m this year and is looking to increase on that ‘quite substantially’ next year.
There are also plans to increase the product range in the future, but Mr Fawcett said: ‘This year we will concentrate on consolidating from the difficulties the company had before we acquired it.’
