Trans Haul (UK) in pre-pack admin deal

Bedfordshire haulier Trans Haul (UK) has gone into administration, only to see its assets sold immediately to related firm Trans Haul (Europe) in a pre-pack deal.

Steven Clancy and Matthew Bond from corporate recovery specialist MCR were appointed as joint administrators on 3 November with the business and assets sold immediately.

Trans Haul (Europe) lists Nigel and Loretta Machado as its directors; Trans Haul (UK) was run by Nigel and Maurice Machado.

Until October this year, Trans Haul (Europe) had been a dormant company.

The administrators say that 50 jobs were saved as a result of the deal.

Trans Haul had depots in Leighton Buzzard, Beds; Hull, East Yorks; and Pitstone, Herts, although the latter appears to have now closed.

In a statement, Nigel Machado blames the firm’s downfall on two main factors: a disputed dilapidations claim of £400,000 on a former warehouse which resulted in a significant contested settlement and the loss of a major contract at its dedicated site in Pitstone for airline Lufthansa.

He adds, “Unfortunately the company that was due to replace it went into administration in August and attempts to find an alternative business at such short notice was fruitless in the current economic climate.”

The pre-pack deal saved over 50 jobs and “secured the ongoing future of the business,” he says. “We continue to have the support of our clients and pallet network Pallet-Track who we were shareholder members of for five years.”