114 jobs lost at scrap metal recycling firm

One of the largest metal recycling companies in Europe has gone into administration with the loss of 114 jobs.

CF Booth Limited in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has ceased operations as administrators Interpath explore options for a possible sale of the business.

Interpath said the company had experienced trading problems over the past few months, made worse by rising energy and copper prices. It was also fined £1.2m in 2024 after a worker was injured at its headquarters.

The family business employs 168 staff but 54 are to be retained to help with the administration process.

Interpath said it would be providing support for members of staff who are affected by redundancy.

The company was founded in Rotherham in he 1920s and grew from a local metal trader to one of the largest independently-run metal recycling companies in Europe.

It trades both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as processing recycled materials.

One of its best-known functions was the decommissioning of railway locomotives and carriages, which began in the 1960s, and it held contracts with a number of the main rail operators in the UK.

In 2024, it was fined £1.2m after a worker was hit by a 32-tonne skip wagon.

The company pleaded guilty at Sheffield Magistrates' Court to one count of breaching health and safety law after the incident, which happened in 2020.

James Lumb, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator, said: "CF Booth has a long and storied heritage in South Yorkshire, not least for its role as one the largest rolling stock recyclers in the country, working with several of the main rail operating companies.

"However, as one of the largest manufacturers of copper-based products in the UK, the company has also been hit hard by the tremendous surge in copper prices seen over recent months.

"This, coupled with broader economic headwinds, placed unsustainable pressure on cashflow.

"While we assess the options available to us, we would ask any parties who may be interested in buying the company and its assets to make contact with us as soon as possible."

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