The €3.8m acquisition involves five builders merchant branches in Sunderland, Newcastle, Durham, Gateshead and South Shields. Five TAPS plumbing and heating outlets will also transfer to Grafton.
Four trade from the same premises as the builders merchant branches, with a further one trading from a standalone site in Birtley. The deal means that 20 remaining Thompsons staff will transfer to Grafton, with the prospect of re-employment for some of the other former Thompson and TAPS workforce.
“We are pleased to have secured a sale that preserves this well-known business and offers employment opportunities for local people,” said Mark Firmin, joint administrator at KPMG.
Sunderland-based Thompsons, which has a £20m annual turnover, went into administration at the beginning of March after facing financial difficulties and HMRC applying for a winding-up order. Ireland-based Grafton operates the Buildbase, Selco and Jacksons Building Centres business in the UK.
