Dunne bosses blame collapse on bankers

Grant Prior 9 years ago
Share

The collapse of the Dunne Group is being blamed on bankers pulling a credit line for the concrete specialist at the eleventh hour.

Dunne ceased trading on Tuesday with the loss of 524 jobs.

Sources inside the failed firm contacted the Enquirer to reveal what happened in the final hours of the firm as it struggled for survival.

The source said Dunne received £4m in outstanding payments on Friday which was then due to go out to subcontractors and suppliers.

The insider said Dunned was “working within banking facilities” when it is claimed Santander suddenly reduced the company’s credit limit by £4m.

The source said: “After unsuccessful discussions to reinstate the limits om Monday Santander retracted all facilities . They confirmed this to Dunne’s solicitors overnight

“Once this came to light from 5 am on Tuesday senior Dunne directors personally  addressed staff , personnel , subcontractors and clients in London , Scotland and throughout UK telling them that they could not ask people to work when there was no guarantee they would be paid.”

Administrator FRP Advisory closed Dunne down yesterday

The source claimed that Dunne’s “balance sheet far outweighs any remaining bank debt .”

The insider also claimed that the company was heading for a £6m profit.

FRP said Dunne “faced substantial trading losses on some contracts, leading to severe cash flow pressures.

It added: “Additionally, rapid expansion led to pressure on working capital and a requirement for significant additional funding that was not available.”

A Santander spokesperson said: “We regret any situation where one of our customers feels the need to appoint administrators.

“In this case,  Dunne Group had been making substantial losses and despite having provided increased facilities on numerous occasions to keep the business trading, the company was insolvent.

“Therefore the management instructed the appointment of administrators earlier this week”

 

Latest news

CITB survives another review

Report published after two more years talking about skills crisis
12 hours ago

Plan for film studios switched to data centre cluster

Plans in for six data centre buildings in Buckinghamshire
12 hours ago

Over 800 high-rise resi jobs stalled by safety regulator

Building safety regulator project logjam hits Government growth plan
21 hours ago

McAlpine under fire after another panel comes loose from hotel

High winds cause more problems at recently completed Woking hotel
1 day ago

McGee starts demolition for £500m South Bank scheme

Former ITV studios will be replaced by two office towers
21 hours ago

Four arrested after hospital construction site burglary

Damage and copper wiring stolen at Hinckley and District General Hospital new building
2 days ago

Caddick kicks off Digbeth regen plan with £43m flats job

First phase 211 flats job starts wider £260m Upper Trinity Street scheme
22 hours ago

Sisk starts work on £300m Children’s Cancer Centre

Great Ormond Street Hospital job will employ 500 on site and last three years
21 hours ago

McAlpine clinches £1.25bn Port Talbot low carbon steelworks job

Deal to build one of the largest electric arc furnaces in the world
3 days ago

McLaren to build top-down on £60m New Bond Street contract

Contractor working to tight technical guidelines on busy Mayfair site
2 days ago

Project delays dull Van Elle first-half results

Piling specialist upbeat about year ahead as order book up 24%
2 days ago

Aggregate Industries appoints new contracting chief

Kevin Murgatroyd promoted to new role
2 days ago

Bouygues wins Immingham £170m import jetty job

French civils firm to build bulk ammonia import facility for hydrogen economy
3 days ago

Plans in for latest phase of Leith port revamp

Construction to start this year on transforming waterfront
2 days ago

Avant Homes starts redundancy consultation

Jobs under threat at Central region
3 days ago

Plans in for Barnet leisure park and 1500 homes

Regal to redevelop Great North Leisure Park in Finchley
3 days ago

JRL wins shell and core for £400m London scheme

220 Blackfriars Road project will rise to 21 and 15 storeys
3 days ago

Robertson strengthens East Midlands leadership

Woodcock promoted to ops director and Brown joins from BAM as commercial director
3 days ago

Match-maker service for stalled S106 housing projects

Clearing website to release logjam of unbuilt developer affordable home commitments
3 days ago

Turnover flat as Glencar rethinks strategy

Industrial and logistics building specialist targets "the right type of work"
3 days ago

McLaren lures another director from McAlpine

Glen Harding to help grow recently launched construction management division
4 days ago

£200m Edinburgh Lloyds HQ redevelopment plan

Landmark Port Hamilton building revamp is Edinburgh's largest ever pre-let deals
3 days ago

Chinese super embassy plan edges closer to go-ahead

Met Police drop concerns about Royal Mint site next to Tower of London
4 days ago

GMI delivers just £1m profit after clearing legacy job

Revenue falls 29% to £232m after 'controlled consolidation'
4 days ago

Construction set for gradual two-year recovery

Construction Products Association says Government will need to deliver on pro-growth strategy
4 days ago

Costain order book swells to £5.4bn

HS2 tunnel fitout and power supply jobs help to lift orders by £1.5bn
4 days ago

Hill to start £450m Coventry City Centre South

Hoardings go up for building start this summer
4 days ago

Green light for next phase of Berkeley Fulham site

Go ahead for towers of 28 and 38 storeys and a podium building of seven-storeys
4 days ago

Nearly 40 solid wall insulation firms suspended

Botched work scandal rocks Government home insulation programme
7 days ago

Manchester 18-storey top-heavy tower approved

Office scheme oversails 19th-century buildings at street level
7 days ago

Contractor services