UK administrations update: September 30 - October 6

Since our last update, the following businesses have been confirmed as having fallen into administration. All dates indicate when the administration was announced and not necessarily the dates on which administrators were appointed.

C. Brown & Sons (Steel) Limited - September 30
C. Brown & Sons (Steel) Limited, a Dudley-based steel firm, fell into administration last month, with Julian Heathcote and Paul Meadows of Teneo Financial Advisory appointed as joint administrators.

Upon the appointment of the joint administrators, the company’s steel decoiling and stockholding business were acquired by USP Steels in a pre-pack deal. However the firm’s remaining operations, including its profiling and Cebron motors divisions, will be wound down.

In accounts for the year to May 31 2024, the company reported turnover of around £42.6 million, down from approximately £57.3 million a year earlier, while operating losses widened from around £18,000 to almost £1.6 million. At the time, its fixed assets were valued at £7.2 million and current assets at £20.2 million, with total equity amounting to £21.2 million.

Find out more about C. Brown’s collapse and the pre-pack sale of part of the business

We Are Electric Limited - September 30
We Are Electric Limited, a leasing brokerage for electric vehicles trading as WeVee, fell into administration last month, with Nick Parsk and Carrie James of Oury Clark Chartered Accountants appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to March 31 2024, the company reported turnover of around £0.5 million, roughly level with the previous year, while cutting its operating losses from approximately £620,000 to under £230,000. At the time, its assets were valued at around £390,000, with net assets amounting to approximately £242,000.

Instinctif Partners Limited - September 30
Instinctif Partners Limited, a business communications consultancy based in London, fell into administration in late September, with Jonathan Marston and Robert Croxen of Alvarez & Marsal appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the period to December 29 2023, the company reported turnover of around £18.1 million, down from £22 million in the year to December 31 2022, while falling from a post-tax profit of £245,000 to a loss of over £2.7 million.

At the time, its fixed assets were valued at £1.5 million and current assets at approximately £8.9 million. However, net liabilities amounted to nearly £2.2 million.

PL London Limited - October 1
PL London Limited, a panoramic landscape contractor based in St Leonards-on-Sea, fell into administration last month, with Glen Carter and Deviesh Raikundalia of RSM UK appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to April 30 2024, the company’s fixed assets were valued at slightly over £751,000 and current assets at close to £3 million, with net assets standing at around £357,000.

Dendra Systems Limited - October 2
Dendra Systems Limited, a provider of an ecosystem monitoring platform, fell into administration in September, with Philip Armstrong and Geoffrey Rowley of FRP Advisory appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to December 31 2023, the company’s fixed assets were valued at over £1 million, with current assets of approximately £14.7 million, while net assets amounted to slightly over £12 million.

Coexistence Limited - October 3
Coexistence Limited, a London-based supplier of furniture and lighting, fell into administration at the end of September, with John Lowe and Nathan Jones of FRP Advisory appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to June 30 2024, the company’s fixed assets were valued at around £1 million and current assets at close to £2 million, with net assets amounting to around £123,000.

Riddles Bros Limited - October 3
Riddles Bros Limited, a quarry operator in Strabane, Northern Ireland, fell into administration last month, with Stephen Cave and Gareth Latimer of Grant Thornton appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to March 31 2024, the company’s fixed assets were valued at around £2.7 million and current assets at £1.2 million, with net assets amounting to slightly over £1.3 million.

Pearcroft Developments Crowmarsh Hill Limited - October 3
Pearcroft Developments Crowmarsh Hill Limited, a construction developer based in Somerset, fell into administration last week, with Edward Avery-Gee and Daniel Richardson of CG & Co appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to December 31 2023, the company’s current assets were valued at £3.3 million, but net liabilities stood at slightly over £179,000.

PPE Medpro Limited - October 6
PPE Medpro Limited, a manufacturer of personal protection equipment (PPE), fell into administration last week, with Natasha Brodie, Michael Pallott and Adam Harris of Forvis Mazars and John Bell and Toyah Poole of Clarke Bell appointed as joint administrators.

The company has attracted major press attention over recent years. Last week, the company was ordered to pay £122m in damages after a judge ruled it breached a government contract for the supply of PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company had been sued by the Department of Health and Social Care over claims that medical gowns it supplied did not comply with healthcare standards.

PPE Medpro was set up in May 2020 by a consortium led by Doug Barrowman, husband of Conservative peer Michelle Mone and won government contracts to supply PPE after being recommended by Baroness Mone through a so-called VIP lane. In December 2020, the Department of Health rejected gowns supplied by the company and requested a refund, alleging that the gowns were not compliant and a number were not sterile.

In accounts for the year to July 31 2025, the company’s fixed assets were valued at around £540,000 and current assets at £1.2 million, while net assets amounted to slightly over £666,000.

Oxbridge Limited - October 6
Oxbridge Limited, a provider of online courses trading as Oxbridge Home Learning, fell into administration last week, with Rebecca Dacre and Guy Thomas of Forvis Mazars appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to December 31 2023, the company’s fixed assets were valued at around £738,000 and current assets at close to £1.4 million, with net assets standing at just under £590,000.

FGP Lufton Limited - October 6
FGP Lufton Limited, a precision engineering company based in Yeovil, fell into administration last week, with Kirstie Provan and Mark Fry of Begbies Traynor appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to March 31 2023, the company’s fixed assets were valued at £2.1 million and current assets at approximately £2.6 million. Net liabilities, however, exceeded £1.1 million.

K Hough Contractors Limited - October 6
K Hough Contractors Limited, a groundworks and civil engineering firm based in Cornwall, fell into administration last week, with Julie Palmer and Michael Hall of Begbies Traynor appointed as joint administrators.

In accounts for the year to March 31 2023, the company’s fixed assets were valued at £1 million and current assets at around £1.1 million, with net assets amounting to approximately £127,000.

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