Pork pie mogul buys Heron Tower steel fabricator

John Gatenby, owner of pork pie manufacturer Vale of Mowbray, has bought Heron Tower steel fabricator Allerton Group.

The Yorkshire entrepreneur's move is set to bring the company out of administration and save 117 jobs.

Gatenby has bought Allerton Group's assets and its subsidiaries, according to joint administrators Hunter Kelly and John Sumpton of Ernst & Young.

Allerton Engineering and Allerton Bridges are a specialised steel fabricator and bridge manufacturer respectively. The group employs 106 staff at its facility in Northallerton and a further 11 at premises in Tursdale, Durham. 

The administrators were brought in in early April and the business continued to trade in the hope of finding a buyer.

Gatenby has owned Vale of Mowbray, based in Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire, since leading a management buy-out of the business in the mid-1990s.

Joint Administrator John Sumpton of Ernst & Young said: "Although the companies suffered cash flow problems, the underlying business is sound and benefits from a strong order book and a highly skilled workforce. We are delighted to be able to find a buyer and to secure all jobs in these difficult economic times.  We would also like to thank the employees and customers for their continued support during the Administration period”.