Textile manufacturer Raymakers in Helmond has been saved. The Deurne textile company Vescom takes over the bankrupt company. The deal was completed on Monday evening. The 250-year-old Raymakers will continue in a slimmed-down form under the name Vescom Velvets BV.
With Christmas just around the corner, the takeover comes as a big gift for about half of the employees. But for others it will be a big downer. An estimated 47 employees are allowed to participate.
Vescom director Philippe van Esch is happy with the takeover. “It took a lot of hard work, but we finally succeeded. We saved the takeover a few times just before the abyss.”
Company of Helmond Sport chairman new owner
At the time of the bankruptcy, Raymakers employed 84 people. Most of them for years. The company went bankrupt in October. After that it was quiet for a long time around the Helmond manufacturer.
Several parties were interested in taking over the textile manufacturer. In the end, the company of Helmond Sport chairman Philippe van Esch came out on top.
Factories remain open
With the takeover, the name of Koninklijke Nederlandse Textielfabrieken JA Raymakers & Co will also disappear. BV, as the company is officially called. The company will continue under the name Vescom Velvets BV.
The factories in Helmond and Gemert remain open. The takeover preserves the industrial heritage and some of the employment in the region.
‘Raymakers will remain popularly known as Raymakers’
According to Van Esch, the Raymakers name will not disappear from the building in Helmond. There will be a sign at the door with the new name. “But popularly, with its rich history, it will always be called Raymakers.”
“This step allows the rich history of Raymakers, which dates back to 1773, to live on and be combined with the expertise and vision of Vescom,” the new owner said.
Royal touch
Buyer Vescom mainly produces wall coverings and furniture and curtain fabrics. The company does good business internationally. Vescom often collaborates with architects on larger projects and supplies products for hotels, theaters and luxury homes, among others.
The royal textile factory, as Raymakers called itself, specializes in making velours. The company even supplied the royal family. For example, King Willem-Alexander delivered the speech from the throne at the end of September during Budget Day with Raymakers’ fabric in the background.
Financial problems
However, things have not been going well for the Helmond fabric manufacturer for some time. Raymakers had been struggling with financial problems for some time, the curator wrote earlier in his report. Corona debt, the energy crisis and declining turnover left the company reeling.
The Swiss company Lantal AG seemed to be the savior. The company took over Raymakers and immediately pumped a lot of money into it.
But it turned out that even more money was needed to keep the Helmond manufacturer afloat. That money didn’t come. Not from Lantal, nor from the bank or any other financier. This seemed to put an end to textiles from Raymakers after 250 years.
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The bankruptcy ruins ‘250 years of history’