A major UK factory in County Durham has been put up for sale after Bridgman IBC Limited, a fire and security door manufacturer, entered administration, resulting in the loss of 56 jobs. The 88,511-square-foot facility on the Longhill Industrial Estate in Hartlepool is being marketed by Eddisons Commercial with an asking price of £2 million.
Administration and Redundancies
The company, which had traded for over 60 years, appointed administrators from Begbies Traynor on March 6, 2026, citing insurmountable cashflow pressures. Despite efforts to find a buyer for the business as a going concern, no deal was reached, and all 56 employees were made redundant on March 13. Administrator Ian Royle stated: "Despite a strong effort by the directors to increase sales over the past 18 months, which resulted in a full order book, the business faced insurmountable cashflow pressures. Ultimately, it was unable to fund the raw materials required to continue production."
Financial Troubles and Clients
Bridgman IBC specialized in manufacturing fire and security doors for high-profile clients including the NHS, Newcastle University, Cineworld, and the Hilton hotel group. According to its most recent accounts for the year to March 2025, the company recorded a loss of £607,010, and its liabilities exceeded assets by £459,574. The firm had previously been rescued by a management buyout in 2004 after its parent company went into receivership, saving 65 jobs at that time.
Factory Details and Asset Sale
The factory, set on a one-hectare site, includes workshop space, offices, loading areas, car parking, and crane lifting equipment. The company's remaining assets, including pre-hung door sets, were sold via an online auction in May by Eddisons. The collapse follows a trend of recent administrations in the UK, including JRL Brickwork, a Lincolnshire-based contractor overseeing around 300 contractors, which also entered insolvency.
