‘It was like one big family’
17:41, 19 Jan 2026Updated 17:58, 19 Jan 2026
STOCK PICTURE: A worker at Thomas Storey Fabrications(Image: )
Dozens of people have lost their jobs after a historic east Manchester steel firm collapsed. Thomas Storey Fabrications. in Openshaw, founded in the 1930s, was famous for making temporary pre-fabricated bridges, known as Bailey bridges, which were used by allied troops during the Second World War.
More recently it supplied the construction, truck and trailer manufacturing, and agriculture sectors. The firm previously got into difficulties and six months ago was saved from administration.
However at the start of December its staff, of which a union says there are around 100, were told they wouldn’t be given any hours until the start of January.
Their proposed return date was then repeatedly delayed. And the employees were last week told the company had entered administration again, and that their jobs had gone.
The firm’s factory on Stainburn Road in Openshaw(Image: Manchester Evening News)
An email sent to staff, seen by the Manchester Evening News, said: “The Administrators have reviewed the Company’s position and unfortunately, it has not been possible to continue trading. As a result, your employment has been terminated by reason of redundancy with immediate effect.”
One worker with 18 years service says he has been left ‘gutted’. Jimmy McGuinness, 52, from Gorton, joined the company as a fabricator and welder in 2008. He said work began to dry up in the lead-up to them being laid off and that he ‘knew something wasn’t right.’
However he said last week’s news that they were being made redundant came as a hammer-blow to him and his tight-knit group of colleagues. “It’s just devastating” he said. “I was there for 18 years and I wanted to finish off there. It was a great company to work for.
Jimmy McGuinness is among the staff who have lost their jobs(Image: Submitted)
“I wanted to work there all my life as it was just perfect. All the people were great. It was like one big family. Literally in some cases as lots of people had relatives working there. I had a nephew working there and a brother-in-law at one point as well.
“But everyone knew everyone as lots had worked there for a long time. It’s a big, big, historic company at the end of the day. It’s just gutting that’s all gone now.” “I never thought this would happen” he added. “We’ve been quiet before but I never thought it would collapse like this.”
Jimmy and his colleagues have been told they will have to have to apply to the government agency the Redundancy Payments Service (RPS) for any money owed to them. Along with his former workmates, Jimmy is now searching for another job.
An example of a World War II Bailey Bridge, pictured in 1944(Image: Mirrorpix)
He said his colleagues haven’t even had the chance to say a proper goodbye after leaving work in limbo last month. “There was a video call with the administrators a few days where we all said a little ‘hi’ because we could all see each other on the screen, but that was it” he said.
Gary Edwards, Regional Organiser at the GMB union, which represents some of the staff, told the M.E.N: “Since our members got in touch with us in December after being laid off, and having to cope with no money over Christmas, GMB have been supporting our members and pushing the company to be transparent with they loyal workforce.
The company has entered administration and ceased trading(Image: Manchester Evening News)
“Some of these workers have worked here their whole lives, and they deserved better than being stonewalled. It’s only after GMB applied some pressure that Thomas Storey announced that redundancies were taking place with immediate effect, as of Wednesday last week.
“In June last year, the company announced that these jobs had been saved, and there are now questions to be asked about why only six months later the site is closing.”
The Manchester Evening News has made repeated attempts to contact the company. The administrators have also been approached for comment.