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Gaggia UK has closed its Halifax headquarters, strengthening an unconfirmed report that the coffee machine supplier is poised to go into administration.
According to the Halifax Courier, over 30 workers at the base have lost their jobs after it was shut down without warning.
The move follows Philips’ recent acquisition of Saeco, which owns the Gaggia brand – although privately-owned Gaggia UK is independent of Saeco and it was thought it would be unaffected by the deal. However, two weeks ago, The Times reported that Gaggia UK was about to go into administration.
The newspaper said it believed that accountant RSM Bentley Jennison was on standby to act as administrator, although the firm told HousewaresLive.net this morning that this was not the case.
Gaggia UK managing director Raj Beadle could not be contacted, and the phone at Halifax gives only a recorded message. It tells callers that “following the recent acquisition of Gaggia Italy by Philips, repair facilities have been transferred to Philips UK”. Callers are referred to the website for any other information.
Gaggia UK’s last filed accounts, to March 2007, reveal that the company made a loss of £520,000. A former Gaggia UK employee told the Halifax Courier: “We’ve known the company has been in trouble for some time.”
