A Buckinghamshire advanced materials manufacturing company with roots in the 1930s has plunged into administration, according to a notice in The Gazette. Total Carbide, based in the village of Westcott, Aylesbury, is a European manufacturer of sintered tungsten carbide wear parts – the ultra-hard, durable components used to protect heavy machinery and extend equipment lifespan.
Tungsten carbide is a compound of tungsten and carbon renowned for its superior durability and high melting point (2870C). Thanks to the product’s versatility, the company’s customers are in varying sectors, including aerospace, oil, paper, metal, textile and tobacco.
Total Carbide’s history dates back to the 1930s, when two separate businesses in manufacturing were established. They originally made tungsten light filaments and mining equipment under the name Teco and Hoybide. In year 2000, after nearly 70 years, these companies merged to form Howle Carbides and then rebranded to Total Carbide. In 2013, the nusiness was acquired by Versarien plc, an advanced materials engineering company founded in a garage in 2010.
Versarien grew rapidly after floating on the London Stock Exchange, operating three factories in the UK and also had two overseas facilities.
However, in 2023, Versarien announced it had slimmed down its research and development team due to cost-cutting and the company has attempted to raise additional funds through the placing of shares. In January this year, the business plunged into administration.
A similar fate awaited Total Carbide, which has been an award-winning business with a long history. Administrators Andrew Knowles and Andrew Poxon, both of Leonard Curtis, were appointed on May 13.
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