Sealine going into administration
Discussion
Breaking news, company up for sale in whole or part.
300 jobs at risk, not looking good.
http://www.mby.com/news/534434/sealine-placed-into...
300 jobs at risk, not looking good.
http://www.mby.com/news/534434/sealine-placed-into...
50ish employees retained by admin to complete WIP they took deposits on, official statement mentions disposing of plant & equipment to satisfy creditors, or more to the point, to pay the inevitable forthcoming official receivers invoice for getting the megglomaniacs who put it where it is off the hook
Simpo Two said:
FiF said:
No money for redundancy payments either. Employees having to apply to Govt fund.
But money for the receivers of course, lots of it.Do official receivers ever go into administration or do they just fill their boots every time? I might want to be one...
Couldn't make it up.
Weather is a issue, but the weak pound at the start of the year helped overseas market. Used boats are not selling to bad but prices have to be attractive and sellers fexible.....the one's on the net are the one's not sold, so judging prices at what others are advertised for is of little benefit. No different to houses, getting out hurts. Changing is not so bad as long as people and prepared to sell low, buy low. Not sell at the top and buy at the bottom. Dealers ask to much for newish brokerage ( up to around 5 years ) used boats as they use them to get folk in, but then do there best to swing them into a discounted new one to keep there dealerships, stock turning and potentially make more money than selling a brokerage boat. Also if there used prices are low to sell in a realistic market it frightens the hell out ot potential new buyers because of just how much money it lost in the given time.
Edited by Rum Runner on Wednesday 1st May 23:10
Sealine were always the equivalent of Ford trying to be (and pricing themselves at) Mercedes level. Perfectly good boats, but not in the league that their prices suggested they saw themselves.
I can't help thinking that if they stuck to what they were good at, making decent small to medium sized boats and then selling them at a commensurate price they might have been in with a shout of survival.
Shame, a great name in the UK marine industry, lets hope someone picks up the pieces and carries on.
I can't help thinking that if they stuck to what they were good at, making decent small to medium sized boats and then selling them at a commensurate price they might have been in with a shout of survival.
Shame, a great name in the UK marine industry, lets hope someone picks up the pieces and carries on.
Clearly it's possible to build boats wherever you like. But any idea why Kidderminster?
Were the skills sitting about idle in Kidderminster, and just needed to be shown a boat shape? Or is there some maritime connection? Because Shirley you need some seafaring input into the thing to start?
Were the skills sitting about idle in Kidderminster, and just needed to be shown a boat shape? Or is there some maritime connection? Because Shirley you need some seafaring input into the thing to start?
Companies like Sealine don't simply appear at the full size they are now, they evolve, usually from virtually nothing.
In this case it evolved from a man called Tom Murrant getting hold of a set of moulds and building little (sub 20ft) boats one at a time in his garage at home.
What happens then is that as the business grows a bigger premises is sought nearby, a few people get employed, and if it's working well it grows from that organically.
Taking the decision to uproot all of production and all of the staff (or replace those that won't move) to a completely different location simply becomes impossible, so the business stays locked to where it first evolved.
It didn't help Sealine, but it's not impossible to operate a large boat building company inland, look at Fairline!
Princess started in a lock up in Newport Street in Plymouth. They're still there, literally, only now they own the entire street (they bought up every premises that became available until they owned it all) and have expended out of the bottom of the street plus have five other feeder factories around Plymouth. But the fact remains, they still operate from the (much changed) site where they built the very first Project 31 in the sixties.
In this case it evolved from a man called Tom Murrant getting hold of a set of moulds and building little (sub 20ft) boats one at a time in his garage at home.
What happens then is that as the business grows a bigger premises is sought nearby, a few people get employed, and if it's working well it grows from that organically.
Taking the decision to uproot all of production and all of the staff (or replace those that won't move) to a completely different location simply becomes impossible, so the business stays locked to where it first evolved.
It didn't help Sealine, but it's not impossible to operate a large boat building company inland, look at Fairline!
Princess started in a lock up in Newport Street in Plymouth. They're still there, literally, only now they own the entire street (they bought up every premises that became available until they owned it all) and have expended out of the bottom of the street plus have five other feeder factories around Plymouth. But the fact remains, they still operate from the (much changed) site where they built the very first Project 31 in the sixties.
The factory at Kidderminster was in 1972 by the growing Dawncraft company for the manufacture of their inland cruisers all on one site, consolidated from Stourport Basin and Kinver. May have been some other sites I don't know.
Clearly Sealine set up there to take advantage of existing labour force skills.
Clearly Sealine set up there to take advantage of existing labour force skills.
Just to clear up the story.
Dawncraft started out in Kinver, 1957/8 ish, then built in Stourport and Kinver as mentioned, then they moved to Whitehouse Road, Kidderminster, in 1972. Dawncraft sold the premises in Whitehouse Road and then moved to Bridgenorth in 1977 when they went into liquidation.
Fibrasonic were established out at Halfpenny Green in 1972. Moved to Whitehouse Road in 1978 as C-line.
The address of the Sealine factory is still Whitehouse Road Kidderminster. Presumably they bought the factory from the liquidators of Dawncraft.
Dawncraft history
Very short Sealine history
Dawncraft started out in Kinver, 1957/8 ish, then built in Stourport and Kinver as mentioned, then they moved to Whitehouse Road, Kidderminster, in 1972. Dawncraft sold the premises in Whitehouse Road and then moved to Bridgenorth in 1977 when they went into liquidation.
Fibrasonic were established out at Halfpenny Green in 1972. Moved to Whitehouse Road in 1978 as C-line.
The address of the Sealine factory is still Whitehouse Road Kidderminster. Presumably they bought the factory from the liquidators of Dawncraft.
Dawncraft history
Very short Sealine history
FiF said:
Just to clear up the story.
Dawncraft started out in Kinver, 1957/8 ish, then built in Stourport and Kinver as mentioned, then they moved to Whitehouse Road, Kidderminster, in 1972. Dawncraft sold the premises in Whitehouse Road and then moved to Bridgenorth in 1977 when they went into liquidation.
Fibrasonic were established out at Halfpenny Green in 1972. Moved to Whitehouse Road in 1978 as C-line.
The address of the Sealine factory is still Whitehouse Road Kidderminster. Presumably they bought the factory from the liquidators of Dawncraft.
Dawncraft history
Very short Sealine history
Ah, understood, thanks. I'd never heard of Dawncraft and couldn't see how they were connected. That explains it. Dawncraft started out in Kinver, 1957/8 ish, then built in Stourport and Kinver as mentioned, then they moved to Whitehouse Road, Kidderminster, in 1972. Dawncraft sold the premises in Whitehouse Road and then moved to Bridgenorth in 1977 when they went into liquidation.
Fibrasonic were established out at Halfpenny Green in 1972. Moved to Whitehouse Road in 1978 as C-line.
The address of the Sealine factory is still Whitehouse Road Kidderminster. Presumably they bought the factory from the liquidators of Dawncraft.
Dawncraft history
Very short Sealine history
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