By William Coleman
In some unfortunate and sad news it has been reported that the Preston based caravan manufacturers Lunar have gone into administration, but all may not be lost as they seek to find a buyer to keep the doors open.
In what is quite a blow to the industry Lunar have now actually entered into administration but they are seeking to find a buyer to help turn things around and keep producing their much loved caravans for the masses.
The saddest thing about this situation is the amount of people who may end up without a job. There are up to 142 people currently under the employ at the Lunar production facility in Sherdley Road who may soon become unemployed should a buyer not be found.
Following some rocky times the 142 short term employees were placed on temporary leave at the end of June which lead to the facility running at a much reduced capacity. This only left 54 full time staff members working.
Lunar are continuing to trade and as of yet they have not made any staff redundant, which is a great sign that they are still in the fight.
All this bad news seems to have stemmed from some cash flow problems within the company following some challenging and competitive times in the market.
As of right now production of vehicles has come to a stop, including their new 2020 models which were due to hit the market later on this year. This has meant that their production staff have unfortunately been let go following the halt.
The troubles facing Lunar are certainly not a representation of the current caravan industry. We currently in a real golden age so it really is sad to see a company having such troubles.
Following a report on this situation an MP has called for the Government to step in and help Lunar continue to trade and manufacture caravans. Nigel Evans, the MP for Ribble Valley, which also includes Lostock Hall, has gone on record and said he will take the case to Government to see if anyone can help with the potential sale of the company.
Speaking to the Post, Evans said: “I was very concerned upon hearing that Lunar Caravans, a stalwart of local business in South Ribble, had entered administration this week.
“It is an extremely worrying and turbulent time for the employees and their families who have been left in limbo by the news and I will be looking to see what government assistance can be made available to potential buyers of Lunar Caravans to ensure minimal disruption of business operations.”
Having heard the rumours flying around the internet of the issues Lunar were having I was hoping they were just that. But now it seems official, which is a very sad state of affairs for their employees and loyal customer base.
The lightweight caravan manufacturer has been in operation for almost 50 years and have a strong reputation as one of the most loved vans in the UK. The innovative and cost effective models have helped thousands of holidaymakers over the last 5 decades and hopefully they pull through this tough time.
Lunar will be celebrating their 50th anniversary this Sunday on the 21st of July. We will keep you posted on the situation and hopefully the next report will be a lot more positive.
