Soft furnishings firm saved; Former John Lewis subsidiary rescued by management

28th May 2009 | textiles | Fabric supplier JH Birtwistle has been bought out of administration by the md of a firm acquired just last year by the textile weaver.

Peter Heaton, who was md of WM Lawrence & Sons before it was bought by JH Birtwistle in 2008, has rescued the £7m firm after it fell into administration at the start of April.

More than 40 of the firm’s 100 employees lost their jobs while the firm was in the hands of administrators Begbies Traynor.

JH Birtwistle, together with sister firm Stead McAlpin, were both owned by retailer John Lewis until 2007.