A long-standing engineering firm in Workington, Cumbria ceased operations on 6 June, 2025. Workington Engineering Limited, trading as Chapel Bank Engineering, closed down and 130 jobs were lost. The company entered administration after failing to secure crucial private investment.

Appointed administrators Iain Nairn and Sean Williams of Leonard Curtis confirmed the closure of the Curwen Road facility. This is where the business had operated under various owners and names since 1939. The company specialised in heavy engineering services for sectors including nuclear, oil, gas, and steel.

This marks another challenging chapter for the company, which has faced administration multiple times in recent years. In 2022, while under Chinese ownership by Jingye Steel, the business was rescued by GMET Engineering. Then, in September 2024, trading as TSP Engineering, it re-entered administration before being acquired by Workington Engineering in a deal facilitated by the same Leonard Curtis administrators.

At the time of that acquisition, the administrators expressed hope that the new ownership could protect existing contracts and attract investment for recovery. However, these efforts ultimately proved unsuccessful, leading to the current closure. The company’s last reported financials as TSP Engineering for the year ending March 31, 2023, showed a turnover of £13.5 million, a decrease from £18.75 million in the preceding period, although pre-tax losses were cut significantly from nearly £1.1 million to around £53,000.

The joint administrators acknowledged the company’s inability to progress since the previous year, explaining that closing the business was the directors’ only remaining choice. The situation has been deeply saddening for everyone involved, largely due to significant challenges in the steel sector and the firm’s unsuccessful attempts to secure investment.

Workington MP also voiced his strong concern on social media, characterising the closure as extremely damaging. He also confirmed his active collaboration with the Unite union to swiftly help the affected employees secure alternative, suitable job

For those impacted, the Workington Job Centre will host an open day on Wednesday, June 11, from 10:00 BST to 16:00, to provide support and assist with job searching.