Butler, Tanner and Dennis have officially been placed in administration with ThorntonRones Ltd now having effective control over the running of the company.
Richard Rones from ThorntonRones Ltd has the role of administrator and will initially review the company’s position and collect information about Butler Tanner and Dennis Ltd. He will be reviewing all records and transactions and will be making decisions about the business in the creditors’ (employees, suppliers and customers) best interest.
Staff consultation is also under way regarding the transference of jobs to Butler Tanner and Dennis Maps and staff were given a boost after co-owner Felix Dennis has made the unusual and special gesture of providing personal funds to ensure that staff were paid in full until the end of May.
Darren Haine, who is the Butler, Tanner and Dennis Unite the Union officer said staff are dismayed with what’s happening. He said, “We are all understandably very disappointed after all the hard work the staff have put in over the last five years. The workforce were aware of the challenging conditions in the print industry and accepted new working practices to try to keep BT&D going.
“Although we all thought we were making positive strides to profitability, sadly this has still not worked out. Difficult market conditions, a speculative land owner and lack of support from elsewhere signed the death knell for BT&D.
“Felix did give us a fantastic leg up for which we’re thankful; pity we were not supported better in other quarters. Despite the shock of looming redundancy, most employees are now trying to focus on getting and preparing for a new job.
“Unite the Union regional learning manager is giving much needed support regarding career advice, retraining, cv writing and the like. At this time we’re still waiting for the administrator to send us our redundancy letters.”