Silentnight was forced to close two factories this year
|
The founders of bed firm Silentnight have backed plans for the company to return to private ownership.
In April, the company's furniture division axed nearly 800 jobs.
Silentnight was founded in 1946 and floated on the stock exchange in 1973, but operating profits fell by 29% for the six months to 2 August.
The company Soundersleep, which includes members of the founding Clarke family, is to buy the shares in the group it did not already own, valuing Silentnight at �72.2m.
Up to 900 people are employed at Silentnight's Lancashire headquarters in Barnoldswick.
A spokeswoman for Soundersleep told BBC Radio Lancashire the takeover would allow the company to press ahead with changes without the "distraction" of the stock market.