A Turriff housebuilding firm has entered liquidation and made 20 people redundant.
Neil Murray Housebuilders failed to recover from Covid, rising material costs and supply issues, which had a impact on the firm, according to liquidators.
Shona Campbell of Henderson Loggie (Business Recovery and Insolvency) will wrap up the affairs of the Forglen based business.
The firm, which begun 21 years ago, describes itself as company “well known in the area for their reliability and quality workmanship, and the professional service they provide”.
Rising cost of materials led to problems for Neil Murray Housebuilders
Neil Murray Housebuilders failed to recover from Covid and was met with “many challenges in recent years”, according to Ms Campbell.
The firm, which has completed homes in developments in Turriff, Meikle Wartle, Ellon and Portsoy, stopped trading in September last year.
Ms Campbell said: “The construction industry has been met with many challenges in recent years, not least the impact of Covid and lockdowns which led to delays, rising costs of materials and supply issues.
“The business suffered cash flow pressures which became unsustainable and had effectively stopped trading prior to my appointment as liquidator in September last year.
“Since then, we have been working to realise assets and provide guidance and support to ensure former employees receive their full employment entitlements.”
Employed a range of tradesmen
The company, which employed joiners, bricklayers, stone masons, slaters, roof tilers and painters, specialised in timber frame kits, but also did traditional builds and extensions.
It was also steel fabricators and erectors building commercial sized sheds.
The business suffered a blow in April 2022 when machinery, tools and flooring worth more than £10,000 was stolen from one of its building sites near Mill of Pitcaple.
A slab lifter, power light and forty packs of laminate flooring were among the items taken.
The news of the Neil Murray Housebuilders liquidation comes just weeks after Stewart Milne Group collapsed leading to the loss of 217 jobs.
Insolvency experts from Teneo Financial Advisory have been appointed joint administrators for SMG and six of its subsidiaries.
