Birmingham firm that made iconic 'Selfridges disc' goes under

Mar 25 2009 by John Cranage, Birmingham Post

The Birmingham company responsible for the appearance of one of the country’s most distinctive buildings has gone into administration.

Purdie Elcock, a metal-forming specialist based at Newtown, produced the discs that cover the exterior of the landmark Selfridges department store in the city’s Bullring shopping centre. The company manufactured 15,000 aluminium discs for the wave-shaped store which overlooks Digbeth and which opened in 2003.

Peter Holder and Anne O’Keefe, partners with corporate restructuring specialist Zolfo Cooper, have been appointed joint administrators of Purdie Elcock. They have laid off 16 employees but are continuing to employ the remaining 22 staff while trying to identify potential buyers.

The company, which dates back to 1918, previously employed 38 people at Newtown and at a second site in West Bromwich. It is a specialist in spinning metal components, a cheaper alternative to pressings.

For the Selfridges project, Purdie Elcock produced the discs which were then sent off to two other companies to be anodised, a process that is expected to give them a life of 30 years before any maintenance is required.

A spokesman for Zolfo Cooper said: “With a diverse customer base, Purdie Elcock is well-placed to continue under different ownership. With the support of staff, we will continue to trade as a going concern while we seek expressions of interest.”