The Pilkington's Tiles Group, the UK company that has been making tiles since 1892, has gone into administration.
 
Nearly 400 jobs are at risk as the majority of the workforce was asked to go home with immediate effect, however no redundancies have yet been made.
 
Pilkington's Tiles has its main base in Great Manchester, including a showroom and factory shop in Audenshaw, as well as a factory and quarry site in Poole, Dorset. As well as the eponymous brand, the company also operates the Quiligotti range.
 
Brian Green and Paul Flint of KPMG restructuring in Manchester, were appointed joint administrators. They have kept on around 40 staff to keep the company ticking over as it attempts to come to agreements with creditors over existing orders.
 
This move comes as the UK tile industry suffers following the downturn and recession and the move to cheap imports.
 
Pilkington's made an unsuccessful move into the sanitaryware market in early 2008