More than 180 jobs axed as Glasgow company hit by housebuilding downturn and soaring costs

A construction services and plant hire business based near Glasgow has gone bust with the loss of more than 180 jobs.

Joint administrators from FRP Advisory have been appointed to Allma Construction Limited and Centre Plant Limited. The businesses had a combined turnover of £25 million and employed 188 staff. Of those, 181 workers have been made redundant, while seven staff are being retained to assist the administrators in the short term.

Joint administrator Stuart Robb said: “Allma Construction is a long-established and highly regarded supplier of specialist groundworks services to many of the leading housebuilders. Unfortunately, the business has been severely affected by a downturn in the homebuilding markets and rising labour and material costs, and despite the best efforts of the directors in exploring other options, administration was the only option. We will now focus on marketing the assets for sale and on providing every possible support to the staff for claims to the Redundancy Payments Office and accessing support agencies.”

Founded in 1991 and based in Barrhead, Allma Construction was a supplier of specialist groundwork services to major housebuilders. The company operated sites mainly through the Central Belt and Ayrshire. Centre Plant hired plant and machinery and provided haulage services mainly to its sister company Allma. The businesses have ceased trading and the joint administrators will now market the assets for sale, with interested parties being asked to contact the Glasgow office of FRP Advisory as soon as possible. Robb and Michelle Elliot, both partners with FRP Advisory, have been appointed as the administrators.