Other assets bought include the Chesterfield head office, two freehold sites and 20 leases.

Trifords commenced trading under the Auto Windscreens brand on 26 February, offering a national network of branches and a fleet of mobile units, as well as a 24/7 service offering.

Auto Windscreens temporarily suspended operations after going into administration on 14 February. The firm ran out of funds to continue trading due to problems including the loss of a large customer and a wind-up petition that had been received from a major creditor.

Over a thousand Auto Windscreens staff have been made redundant after administrators said that they were unable to find a buyer for the business as a whole.

Joint liquidator Chris Farrington said: ‘Our focus at the outset was to seek funding for a trading period and to run an intensive marketing period in an attempt to save the business as a going concern. We approached the major customers to seek urgent funding but unfortunately none of these customers were able to assist in the circumstances.

‘Whilst the intensive marketing process resulted in over 90 expressions of interest, no party made an offer for the business as a whole. In the absence of any funding and no going concern offer, we have had no alternative but to close the business, leading to 1,042 staff being made redundant.’