Administration watch

A record 494 British haulage businesses entered insolvency in 2023, nearly double the number two years earlier, according to the latest data from the Department for Business and Trade.

It is also estimated that 33% of businesses in the sector are deemed maximum risk, up from 22% 12 months ago.

At Motor Transport we track and report on all the latest company administrations and liquidations in the transport and logistics industry.

Administration Watch provides you with detailed news stories and features, in date order, of every affected operator and manufacturer.

Administration news

Need to relocate helped push Ashville Aggregates & Concrete over the edge, administrators reveal

Falling revenues and the need to move trading premises, which required “significant” funding to install a new railhead, pushed Ashville Aggregates & Concrete and Ashville Commercials over the edge, the companies’ administrators have revealed.

FORS Gold Ashville Aggregates and Concrete Limited in administration

Materials supply, bulk haulage and tipper hire specialist Ashville Aggregates and Concrete Limited and its sister company Ashville Commercials Limited have fallen into administration.

Latest Administration news

“Unexpected liabilities” discovered after Drac bought Caledonian Logistics

27 February 2025By Chris Tindall

The company that acquired Caledonian Logistics before it collapsed last year said it had found “significant additional financial obligations” that had not been disclosed to it before buying the haulier.

North West freight forwarder ceases trading

20 February 2025By Chris Tindall

Bolton-based freight forwarder Tailormade Logistics UK, which also has depots across Europe, has closed down.

Insolvent Oxfordshire haulier sold in pre-pack deal

20 February 2025By Chris Tindall

The administrator for Swiftcare UK in Oxfordshire said 58 jobs had been saved after the business was sold in a pre-pack deal to its directors.

Joyce European calls in the administrators

14 February 2025By Chris Tindall

Temperature controlled specialist Joyce European Logistics has filed papers to confirm it has entered administration.

Banbury haulier enters administration

14 February 2025By Chris Tindall

Oxfordshire domestic and commercial delivery haulier Swiftcare UK has called in the administrators after 30 years of trading.

Collapse of S&J European Haulage leaves creditors out of pocket by millions

12 February 2025By Carol Millett

The administrators of Melton Mowbray-base haulier S&J European Haulage, which went under in March last year, have revealed that there are insufficient funds to fully reimburse the company’s secured creditors, whilst other creditors, will receive no payments at all.

Bucks bulk tipper firm in administration

7 February 2025By Chris Tindall

Grain, feed and aggregate haulier Adstock Bulk Solutions has entered administration after almost 13 years of trading.

Yorkshire haulier’s directors ‘unaware’ of loss-making troubles

6 February 2025By Chris Tindall

The directors of stricken haulage firm TEF Transport were unaware of the scale of its debts until just days before it was forced to close down, its administrator has revealed.

Electric cargo bike company Zedify collapses after failing to secure new funding

4 February 2025By Carol Millett

Electric cargo bike logistics firm Outspoken Logistics, which trades as Zedify and counts Evri and Zara among its partners, has called in the administrators after failing to secure new funding.

Rate of new business failures in logistics sector still high but falling, new data reveals

27 January 2025By Carol Millett

New data from Kidderminster-based haulier Breakwells Transport delivers a glimmer of hope for the UK’s haulage industry, revealing that new business closure rates decreased between 2023 and 2024.

More Administration news

Opinion

No more cheap labour – it’s time to pack smarter

The rise in Employer National Insurance is but one factor set to impact e-commerce packaging. So what can be done to alleviate the pain?

Possibly the peakiest peak ever!

Having been in the industry for over 20 years I would say it was possibly the peakiest peak ever in that it was the busiest and the most condensed. Of course, Black Friday was very late on 29 November and I think, due to ongoing concerns about the cost of ...

National Insurance changes will add £1.7bn to the cost of logistics operations

This will be an interesting and challenging year but there will always be great opportunities for the UK pallet networks and their member hauliers. What we do delivers even greater value when times are hard. And there’s no denying that times may get harder before they improve, for producers, transport ...

Retaining HGV technicians is about more than the hourly pay rate

The daily focus of HR and training teams working with HGV operators is deceptively simple: how to ensure an adequate base of technicians to service a constantly growing repair and maintenance requirement through a balance of recruitment and retention.

Latest opinions