Caradon Bathrooms

Location and period of operation:

The main works is the Bath Street works in Alsager, with smaller operations at Cliffe Vale, Shelton and also in Kent.
Caradon make product for the Twyfords and Doulton bathroom brands.

Caradon was purchased by the Finnish Sanitec company in October 1999.

Initials used on ware for identification:

Sentinel Newspaper article (12-01-2001)
www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk 

Baths firm splashes out

By David Elks

More than 700 workers at a bathroom factory face a second major shake-up within four months after their workplace was bought for £82 million by a Finnish rival.
A company spokesman admitted a "handful" of staff at Alsager-based Caradon Bath-rooms will lose their current positions within the company.
But all the affected workers will be offered new jobs within the Bath Street factory and no-one will have to reapply for their jobs when Sanitec takes over. 
Mark Pickering, managing director of Caradon Bathrooms, said: "We are pleased to become part of a focused bathrooms product group with as good a reputation as Sanitec.
"We are optimistic about the opportunities that Sanitec brings for the employees of the company, our customers and the management team here in the UK."
The Finnish bathroom giant bought the Bath Street factory – which makes products for the Twyford and Doulton bathroom brands – to establish a UK foothold.
The Caradon plumbing division, which employs 4,000 people, was sold in October as part of a £442 million disposal of the Caradon plumbing division to venture capitalist HSBC Private equity.
Subsequent disposal of Caradon Bathrooms, which has has the bulk of its 950 workforce in Alsager with smaller sites in Cliffe Vale, Stoke-on-Trent, and Kent, will allow the plumbing division to focus on its shower, boiler and radiator business. 
Caradon Bathrooms currently holds 20 per cent of the UK market with sales of £70 million in 1999. 
A team of experts from Caradon and Sanitec will oversee the integration of the two merging businesses.
A spokesman said a "handful" of employees in centralised roles at the Alsager works could face the loss of their jobs in April, although stressed that they will be offered new roles within the company. A decision on exact numbers will be made at the end of this month.
Berndt Brunow, secretary and CEO of Sanitec, said the move was a "logical step" forward.
He said: "Caradon Bathrooms is a quality player that is increasing its market share in an important market. Twyford, Doulton and Royal Doulton are strong quality brands." 
George Ellis, aged 62, has worked for the company for 42 years as a sprayer. He believes the takeover could be a positive move for the company, but is waiting to see what is revealed in Monday's meeting.
He said: "It might be good for the company, but anyway it is something we will just have to accept. HSBC had it before and they came in to make as much money as they could out of it. I am quite optimistic. We have only been told about it today but we really just have to take it.
"The new company have not got a pension at the moment but we are having a meeting on Monday to find out more."
 

The above information may not be available
for all potters - if you have information to
help complete the records then I would be
happy to include it.
email: Steve Birks