Future uncertain as consultation under way at 75-year-old Brierley Hill manufacturing firm

Workers at a long-running Brierley Hill manufacturing firm face an uncertain future, with a consultation under way to determine whether production is to continue at the site.

It’s understood manufacturing could cease at Link51, which is the UK’s largest manufacturer of steel shelving and pallet racking.

The company, based in Mill Street, has been going for 75 years since 1951.

Jon Luvaglio, head of marketing at parent company Whittan, said: “Like many manufacturers, we are facing significant cost and market pressures and must ensure the long-term sustainability of the business.

“We can confirm that we are currently in a formal consultation process with employees regarding the future of some models in our range at our Brierley Hill manufacturing facility.

“No final decisions have been made.

“This is an incredibly difficult situation and our priority is to support our employees throughout the consultation process. We are committed to engaging openly and respectfully with our teams and their representatives before any decisions are taken.

“We will provide an update once the consultation has concluded.”

The business, part of Whittan Storage Solutions which is headquartered in Telford, started out as The Handy Angle more than 70 years ago, and it has grown to become the UK’s largest manufacturer of steel shelving and pallet racking.

Its products, which can be configured for all storage requirements, are used in every sector, from manufacturing, to retail, e-commerce, logistics and distribution.

Father and son James and Peter Kinnear established the company in Brierley Hill, with just six staff in the beginning. It started out as a general steel fabricator but chose to concentrate on storage solutions - tapping into the demand for purpose-built storage equipment - and in 1966 it became known as Link51.

Over the years it has provided storage solutions for UK-leading and household brands and organisations with its products used in warehouses, stores, offices and organisations across industries and sectors.

Its top jobs have included creating space to store defence equipment onboard a Royal Navy submarine, creating housing for 13.5 million litres of Macallan single malt, protecting Stella McCartney’s couture archives, providing secure storage lockers for offices, schools and gyms, and creating storage for decades of film reel for the British Film Institute.

Its clients have included outdoor clothing and footwear brand Regatta, The British Army, Bedfordshire Police, Network Rail, Gloucestershire hospitals, Glamorgan Archives and Glenmorangie distillery to mention a few.