A Glasgow manufacturer and online retailer of reusable nappies, swimwear nappies and related accessories has collapsed into liquidation, with all 47 staff made redundant.
Blair Nimmo and Alistair McAlinden, of Interpath Advisory, were appointed joint provisional liquidators to Tots Bots Limited on Thursday last week, it was announced this morning.
The family-owned business, which the liquidators noted was award-winning and had focused on sustainable and environmentally friendly products, was founded more than 20 years ago.
Tots Bots also manufactures and sells a range of reusable period products, including pants and pads, under its Nora brand.
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It was reacquired by its founders, husband and wife Magnus and Fiona Smyth, earlier this year. They had sold the business to private equity player True’s portfolio company, Frugi, nearly four years ago.
Mr McAlinden, head of Interpath Advisory in Scotland, said it was “hugely disappointing” that Tots Bots was unable to continue trading.
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Explaining the background to the fall of Tots Bots into liquidation, Interpath Advisory said: “In common with many other online retailers, the company had recently experienced challenging trading conditions, including rising costs and fragile consumer confidence.
“This led to the company experiencing pressure on cashflow. After working tirelessly to explore funding solutions and reviewing the available strategic options, the directors took the difficult decision to seek the appointment of the provisional liquidators.”
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It added: “The business ceased to trade immediately following the appointment of the provisional liquidators and, as such, all of the company’s 47 employees were made redundant.”
Mr McAlinden said: “This award-winning, family-owned business had blazed a trail for producing sustainable and environmentally friendly baby and period products, so it’s hugely disappointing that, despite the very best efforts of the directors, challenging trading conditions have meant that the company is unable to continue to trade.”
He added: “Our immediate priority is to provide employees with the help and support they need to make claims from the Redundancy Payments Service. We have engaged with Skills Development Scotland’s Partnership Action for Continuing Employment team, in order that PACE support can be made available to employees too.
“We have commenced initial steps to realise the company’s assets which include, amongst other things, stock, manufacturing equipment and intellectual property, including the brand and domain names. We would therefore ask any interested parties to contact us as soon as possible.”
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