A UK company that sells to huge brands including Harrods and M&S has plunged into administration. It comes after a “period of trading losses” with the majority of staff losing their jobs.

Planova Leeds, formerly known as Bartuf, is a designer, manufacturer and supplier of retail displays. As of 2025, the company, which is based on Carr Crofts Drive in Leeds, had around 50 employees but entered administration at the start of this year. According to its website, Planova Leeds has a range of big-name customers, including Harrods, M&S, Co-op, Lidl, Aldi, Sainsbury’s and WH Smith.

As reported by Insider Media, Gordon Thomson and Gareth Harris of RSM UK Restructuring Advisory LLP were appointed as joint administrators of Planova Leeds on Monday (January 12).

RSM said in a statement: “The administration was triggered due to creditor action which followed a period of trading losses.

“Unfortunately, the majority of staff have been made redundant, but some employees have been retained to help with the administration process.”

Financial accounts for the year ending December 31, 2024, show the business owed £1.8million to creditors. It employed 54 staff at the time.

Planova Leeds is the latest in a long list of UK companies that have plunged into administration recently. On Wednesday (January 14), it was revealed that brewery Phantom Brewing Company entered administration last week.

Documents have revealed that debts totalling £2.289 million are owed to creditors. David Rubin and David Birne, of insolvency firm Begbies Traynor, were appointed to manage the situation on December 23.

Meanwhile, UK broadband provider G Network was acquired by FitzWalter Capital earlier this month. The broadband provider, which counts some 25,000 customers, has racked up around £300million in debt.

Just days after acquiring the company, FitzWalter Capital, a distressed debt specialist, applied to appoint administrators at G Network. Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP were formally appointed as the joint administrators for G Network on Monday, January 12.

Planova Leeds has been approached for comment.

Manchester, Leeds and Oxford have been hailed as some of the leading powerhouses for business growth in the UK, according to a recent report. The research, conducted by NatWest and data firm Beauhurst, examined growth in terms of innovation, profit, headcount and turnover among mid-market companies across the country.

Manchester earned its high ranking due to its booming creative and digital sectors, driven by MediaCityUK and a thriving start-up environment. Oxford distinguished itself with its research-oriented businesses, many of which originated as university spin-offs before growing into significant mid-market companies.

Leeds has carved out a name for itself in the health technology sector, complementing its long-standing financial services industry, bolstered by close connections to NHS Digital and top hospitals.

While London continues to be the largest hub for profit, headcount and turnover in the mid-market, the report indicates that other regions of the UK are increasingly making their mark through innovation.

Smaller authorities also featured on the list, with Slough and Telford & Wrekin both identified as areas experiencing rapid growth.

Swindon has also emerged as one of the country’s leading hubs for climate technology, thanks to its concentration of renewable energy and clean-tech firms.

Andy Gray, managing director of commercial mid-market at NatWest said: “The UK’s economic story is no longer written only in its biggest cities. Across the country, mid-sized businesses are scaling up, investing in people and creating high-quality jobs.

“These boom regions demonstrate that entrepreneurial energy and economic resilience can flourish anywhere.”

South Cambridgeshire was identified as a burgeoning growth centre, home to a flourishing cluster of university spinouts.

Aberdeenshire also demonstrated strong performance in the innovation category, reflecting its long-standing expertise in oil and gas, now being channelled into renewable energy, carbon capture and wider climate technologies.

Local firms have reaped benefits from specialist engineering skills, proximity to North Sea projects and robust research links – aiding the area’s transformation into a hub for innovation in the UK’s energy transition.

The research centred on mid-market companies with annual turnovers between £25m and £500m – these businesses account for 26 per cent of employment and 30 per cent of UK economic Gross Value Added.

The findings also forecast that, given the right support, mid-market companies could contribute an additional £115 billion in turnover and £35 billion of Gross Value Added by 2030 – despite representing just 0.5 per cent of businesses in the UK.

Henri Murison, chief executive at The Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “While London remains an important location for mid-market businesses, this new report from NatWest clearly points to the impressive growth and innovation that is taking place in the North.

“As the Autumn Budget approaches, we should be backing concrete steps towards adoption and diffusion of innovation in businesses that are seeking to scale up, providing more high skilled jobs in Northern towns and cities, and playing a fundamental part in delivering the UK Government growth mission.”

Louise Hellem, chief economist at the CBI, said: “This report underlines the vital role the mid-market sector plays in driving regional growth and strengthening our economy.

“These businesses are not just surviving, they’re expanding, innovating, and investing in their communities. To fully unlock the UK’s potential and develop high growth clusters, we should harness their strengths as part of regional growth plans, ensure they are engaged in shaping local skills plans and have greater access to finance to scale.”