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Last Updated: Friday, 12 September, 2003, 14:47 GMT 15:47 UK
Silentnight poised to go private
Silentnight logo
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.




SEE ALSO:
Job cuts loom at Silentnight
10 Apr 03  |  Business
Furniture factory jobs cut
04 Apr 03  |  England
Job losses rise at factory
02 Dec 02  |  England
Workers end redundancy protest
25 Nov 02  |  Northern Ireland
Silentnight closes factory
18 Apr 02  |  Business


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