Molson Group, one of the UK's largest independent construction machinery dealers, has entered administration, with 203 of its 345 UK employees made redundant with immediate effect. Project Plant reports that PwC's Ross Connock, Tom Crookham and Vesela Romagnoli have been appointed joint administrators of Molson Group Limited and its UK subsidiaries.

The Bristol-headquartered business, founded in 1996, operates from 16 locations across the UK and distributes brands including Kobelco, Hyundai Construction Equipment, Terex, Sennebogen, Bell Equipment, Thwaites, Merlo and Husqvarna demolition robots. The administrators blamed challenging trading conditions and weaker demand in the UK construction market, which they said had created increasing liquidity pressures.

The group's American businesses have escaped the collapse. On appointment, the administrators completed the sale of Molson Group's shares in its US operations to a newly incorporated company, Fieldsec Hastings Limited, allowing the US arm, which trades through the Powerscreen regional dealership network, to continue outside the UK group. A small number of UK employees will transfer to the buyer with all US-based staff.

The administrators said they would now carry out an orderly wind-down of the UK businesses, working with retained employees to realise stock and debtor balances. The collapse follows financial results for the year to September 2024 showing turnover of £333 million but a pre-tax loss of £10.3 million, according to Agg-Net. Staff were told of the decision on Friday morning.