Administrators of RPL Transport pursue legal claim linked to price-fixing cartel

A legal claim by the administrators of RPL Transport relating to a truck manufacturers’ price-fixing cartel is being pursued while the company enters liquidation.

The Milton Keynes-based operator followed parent Bedfords Group into administration in April 2019 and insolvency experts at KPMG have spent the year pursuing debts and realising assets.

In a report to creditors, KPMG said secured and preferential creditors will be paid in full and there should also be a dividend for unsecured creditors.

It added: “All assets have now been realised, although there is a potential legal claim as a result of truck manufacturers operating an illegal price-fixing cartel in Europe between 1997 and 2011, which we will continue to pursue during the CVL [creditors’ voluntary liquidation].”

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Employees’ arrears and holiday pay totalled £17,560 and unsecured claims are estimated to be more than £756,000.

KPMG said former employees are anticipated to be paid in full and a distribution will be made to unsecured creditors during the CVL, “but the quantum and timing are currently unknown".

Meanwhile, Bedfords – which entered administration five days before RPL Transport following cash flow problems and a failed attempt to sell off one of its subsidiaries – has applied for a 12-month extension to its administration.

Backhouse Jones is currently working with the RHA on its proposed cartel legal claim, which as of October 2019 had 11,100 operators with a total fleet size of 130,000.

A second proposed claim – UK Trucks Claim (UKTC) – is being backed by legal firm Weightmans.