Spring 2020Successful year for PDS

At the end of 2018, Performance Doorset Solutions was facing the threat of closure and 60+ employees were at risk of being made redundant. Fast forward 12 months and the outlook for PDS is positive.

Founded in 2003, the future looked bleak for the Littleborough fire door company when its US owner announced it was considering closing the facility – one of the largest  employers in the local area.

Rather than see it close, a consortium of 14 current and former employees bought PDS back and it is now looking at a turnover increase of 20% in just one year. 

Tim Fairley, the returning managing director and original founder of PDS, said: “Since the buyout, we have spent over £500,000 on new plant and machinery to increase capacity and keep us at the cutting edge in terms of product compliance and design.”

The employee-owned company now produces many products  in-house which would have previously been outsourced and plans to invest in further testing and product releases. Its client list includes councils, social housing organisations, contractors and installers across the UK.

PDS has also invested over £40,000 in product development and testing, making its fire doors highly sought after, especially for  high-rise building projects.

In the last 12 months, PDS has employed a further 25 people, with plans to employ another 65 people within three years.

Mr Fairley added: “It has been a remarkable 12 months since we bought the business back but we are convinced the best is yet to come.”