The US-Iran war had worsened its finances
Focus Label Machinery, which was founded in 1981, had manufactured label printing machines for decades(Image: Google)
A decades-old Nottinghamshire firm has entered administration and made all of its staff redundant.
Manufacturer Focus Label Machinery, which was founded in 1981 and had traded from Bingham, recently ceased trading and has been placed into administration.
The Chapel Lane business had designed, manufactured, and installed label printing machines for more than 40 years, but its assets will now be sold off to repay creditors after bosses decided the financial pressures it faced were insurmountable.
Following unsuccessful appeals to its bank for help and the impact of the US-Iran war, the decision was taken to cease trading and its 21 employees were made redundant.
“Focus Label Machinery struggled with cashflow pressures having been particularly affected following the USA attack on Iran earlier this year, which resulted in delayed payments from its customers,” Justin Brown, director of CY Group, which has been tasked with carrying out the administration, said.
“The directors were unable to obtain further support from their bank, and have made the difficult decision to cease trading and to appoint administrators to preserve the position for the company’s creditors.”
CY Group explained joint administrators were actively seeking a purchaser for the company’s business and assets, which includes its freehold property in Bingham.
Focus Label Machinery had designed and made inline label printing machines, heat transfer printing machines, silk screen printing machines, to rewinding machines.
CY Group said innovation and development had been a key driver of the company’s growth strategy, manufacturing a broad portfolio of bespoke printing systems for customers around the world.
Focus Label Machinery’s financial accounts for the year ended May 31, 2025, explained the business had more than £1.3 million in assets at the time.
This was a drop from around £1.7 million the year before, according to documents submitted to Companies House.
The money the company owed to creditors within a year of the accounts grew from £679,432 in 2024 to £925,799 in 2025.
The workforce of Focus Label Machinery had dropped slightly before it entered administration, with the firm employing an average number of 34 employees in 2025 and 2024.