Fire door manufacturer hires 40 staff

Posted by on 26 Nov 2020

Photo © Tim Fairley, Managing Director of PDS

A Rochdale fire door manufacturer has grown its workforce to 100 just 18 months after it was rescued from possible closure. PDS, in Littleborough, had only 60 staff and a turnover of £7m when former co-founder Tim Fairley headed up a 14-strong consortium and bought it back in March 2019.

In just 18 months the company has recruited 40 new members of staff to take the workforce to exactly 100 and grown turnover to £10m – despite being locked down at the start of Covid-19.

The company has invested £1m in new machinery and product testing and certification and plans to expand into the healthcare and education sectors in 2021.

Managing director Tim Fairley said: “Our strategy has all been about going for profitable and organic growth.  Our order book now stands at more than £2m so we’re very optimistic about 2021.

“Reaching 100 staff is a significant milestone for PDS but we hope it’s just the first of many.

“It’s also good for the local economy. 32 of our 40 new recruits in the last 18 months have a Rochdale postcode and the balance live within 10 miles and it’s vital that money goes into the local area. We’re also committed to recruiting even more apprentices.

“Although our work is UK-wide we’re working with a number of Rochdale companies like H Bell & Son, Jackson Jackson & Sons and our fire doors and screens are being installed in the Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum in Rochdale by contractor Casey Group.”

PDS are specialists in the manufacture of FD30 and FD60 security fire doors, with the number indicating the minimum minutes of protection the doors must offer against fires.

Mr Fairley co-founded PDS in 2003 and grew the company to a turnover of £13.5m and a workforce to 148 when it was acquired by US-based door manufacturer Masonite International Corporation.

However, by 2018 turnover had fallen to around £7m and the workforce to 60 when Masonite announced it was considering closing the Littleborough facility altogether.

In a bid to prevent it closing Mr Fairley formed part of a consortium that bought the business back and set about reviving its fortunes.

Its fire doors are mainly used in multiple occupancy buildings and their importance was highlighted by the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Mr Fairley said: “The product testing and certification is crucial because you cannot supply a fire door into the social housing sector that doesn’t comply with the most up to date certification and that’s exactly as it should be. It’s why we’ve continually invested so heavily in our product testing and development.

“Moving forward we think the education and healthcare sectors have real potential for us with the planned investment from the government. They all need fire doors, albeit to a slightly different specification.

“We are currently undergoing another tranche of investment in plant and machinery to get into those sectors but we’ll do it.”

Mr Fairley said PDS was on track to grow turnover from £9m to £10m this year despite the impact of Covid.

“We estimate Covid cost us around £300,000 and we didn’t get a single invoice out the door in April,” he said.
“However we’re a healthy and resilient business, we didn’t panic and all our growth has been organic and done without any borrowing.

“It was a big decision to buy the business 18 months ago but we knew the potential and our approach of investing in new machinery and growing the workforce means the future looks bright for PDS.”

Councillor John Blundell, cabinet member for regeneration, business, skills and employment at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “PDS is a brilliant asset to Rochdale’s vibrant business community and its ability to grow during Covid is testimony to its leadership.

“The impact of closing would have been devastating but the fact they’ve grown by 40 staff to 100 staff is a fantastic transformation.”