Almost 100 jobs saved at historic Smethwick-based manufacturing group

Almost 100 jobs have been saved at a West Midlands manufacturing group which dates back to 1906 following a pre-pack sale, according to Insider Media.

Evelyn Partners' Adam Henry Stephens and Clare Lloyd were appointed as joint administrators to Rical Group and subsidiaries on 14 January 2025. Upon appointment, 17 of Rical's 115 staff were made redundant.

At the time of the administration, Smethwick-based Rical comprised six trading divisions in the UK - William Mitchell, Multiforms, Taurus, Fellows, Priory Products and Mitchell Grieve.

Ninety-eight jobs have now been secured with a pre-packaged sale of part of Rical's business and assets to William Mitchell Calligraphy and Rical Properties Ltd.

The group had experienced "challenging operational issues, with a downturn in the automotive industry, compounded by a key customer reducing its orders".

Two of the company's properties remain to be sold by the administrators.