Family-owned M&E firm calls in administrators

Liverpool-based mechanical and electrical (M&E) specialist HE Simm has called in administrators, citing “enormous pressure on the business” that it could not withstand.

The family-owned firm, represented by law firm Hill Dickinson, submitted a notice of intention on 5 September and appointed administrators Patrick Lannagan, Adam Harris and Richard Hough of Forvis Mazars three days later.

HE Simm had a turnover of £110m in the 2024 calendar year and employed 128 staff, the administrators said.

All the employees have been made redundant “with immediate effect”, Forvis Mazars said.

“Sadly, recent circumstances have placed enormous pressure on the business that we have been unable to withstand,” said chief executive Gareth Simm (pictured).

“These have included a combination of factors: failure of a key client; the loss of a number of projects; delays to major schemes; increasingly commercially challenging client behaviours; and losses on London projects.

“Some of these challenges have been ongoing for a number of years.”

HE Simm’s most recent audited accounts, released last September, covered a 17-month period from 31 July 2022 to 31 December 2023.

They revealed that its owners had invested £4m into the business, and had implemented a new business strategy after unnamed London jobs were hit by inflation on fixed-price contracts.

“This has undoubtedly been one of the most difficult trading periods in our history,” Simm said in the accounts.

“Rigorous management reviews have been undertaken to ensure any operational performance issues have been recognised.”

Simm added that the firm’s new corporate strategy would “ensure a strong foundation” for the business “to profitability and excellence in project delivery”.

The M&E specialist posted a £10.4m pre-tax loss from turnover of £118.3m in the 17-month accounts.

In its previous 12-month period, the firm delivered a profit of £900,000 from turnover of £54.2m.

HE Simm had £2.8m of cash in the bank in its latest accounts, down from £5.8m.

It owed trade creditors £17.1m.

The firm’s project portfolio includes M&E work for John Sisk & Son at Wembley Park, London; for Downing Construction at River Street Tower in Manchester; and for Lendlease at Elephant Park, London.

“As shareholders, and a family, we have fought very hard, and invested heavily over the past two years in an attempt to avoid today’s outcome, but in the end the harsh reality of the construction industry, the tight margins we operate at and the pressures as described, left us with no choice but to appoint administrators,” Simm said.

Other M&E firms to have gone under this year include Birmingham-based JS Wright & Co, which called in FRP Advisory in February, and Staffordshire-based TNA Electrical, which called in Leonard Curtis later the same month.