Sept/Oct 2003

Endeva, the fulfilment business created from the Granada and Thorn TV rental service network, is continuing to trade normally after calling in administrative receivers in September. Sister-company UK Consumer Electronics is also affected, but its fellow-company Boxclever, the TV rental business itself, is not in receivership.

The Boxclever retail network was created in response to a contraction of the rental market, and Endeva was separated out as a relatively free-standing subsidiary. It has continued to provide repair, refurbishment and distribution services to the retail chain, but has also pursued third-party fulfilment business vigorously, and during the past two years won contracts with customers such as Argos, Cornhill, Debenhams, Northern Electric Retail, Norwich Union, Panasonic and Philips.

The receivers, PricewaterhouseCoopers, say their priority is "to continue to provide the highest standard of service to Boxclever," and that the company may need some restructuring. The options under consideration are said to include "some form of partnering with a financially stronger third party."

Endeva's resources include a national call centre at Swindon and 3,000 staff, including over 400 mobile field service engineers, and a network of over 20 regionally-based centres.