Fireclad and Harrison Jorge sank after client on loss-making contract refused to increase prices

A 25-year-old dry-lining firm and its sister plastering company collapsed due to crippling materials and labour costs, administrators for the firm have said.

Fireclad and Harrison Jorge (HJ) went into administration last month owing dozens of creditors more than 拢4m, having been unable to cope when the client on its main loss-making contract refused to increase prices.

According to a report by Interpath, one unsecured creditor, a Sheffield-based insulation supplier, is owed more than 拢960,000 by Fireclad.

21 moorfields

21 Moorfields, one of the jobs Harrison Jorge had worked on

In total, the company owed 拢3.3m to the supply chain, while HJ owed 拢925,640.

The report lists Fireclad鈥檚 72 employees as unsecured creditors, owed nearly 拢651,000, and as preferential creditors, owed 拢17,500. HJ had no listed employees.

The two firms, both owned by holding company Adparo, had a combined turnover of 拢32.1m.

They worked mainly on London commercial jobs, including an 拢18m package of works on 21 Moorfields, the new Deutsche Bank HQ being built by Sir Robert McAlpine for Landsec.

According to the administrators鈥� report, directors at Fireclad, which was incorporated in 1996, took the decision to cease trading 鈥渨hen it became clear that the client on the company鈥檚 main loss-making contract was not prepared to increase prices鈥�.

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鈥淭his meant the margin the company had previously been making was quickly eroded, making the contracts untenable and the company unable to meet debts,鈥� it added.

The report listed increased materials costs, resulting from the war in Ukraine, as well as poor labour supply in the wake of Brexit and coronavirus as major pressures on the firm.

Secured creditors include Aldermore Bank, which is owed just over 拢240,000, and Metrobank, which is owed more than 拢2.9m for a coronavirus loan. The former is expected to recover this debt in full.

The Adparo group also owed 拢360,000 in VAT to HMRC 鈥� which is listed as a secondary preferential creditor 鈥� but the administrators said it was 鈥渦ncertain鈥� that this debt would be recovered.

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