Ennis Group in administration
SEVERAL companies within the Salford-based property and construction business Ennis Group have been placed into administration.
Chris White and John Russell of Sheffield-based insolvency firm P&A Partnership were appointed as administrators to Ennis Group plc and subsidiary firms Jim Ennis Construction and Ennis Developments on June 22. The businesses have ceased trading and 45 staff have been made redundant.
However, two other companies, Ennis Construction Ltd and Ennis Construction Airports Ltd, are still trading.
Ennis Group was founded by chairman Jim Ennis in 1964 and it has worked on a number of high-profile buildings around the region including both Manchester United and Manchester City’s football grounds, The Trafford Centre shopping complex, Liverpool Airport and Aintree Racecourse.
Its last filed accounts for the year to April 30, 2011, show that it posted a pre-tax loss of £313,000 on sales of £21.5m. It employed 177 people.
The divisions which remain trading specialise in civil engineering contracts and in airports work. Administrators are currently collecting the company’s debts and said they are working with Charterfields on valuing the assets ahead of a potential sale to Ennis Construction, which is a new company run by Mr Ennis formed in March this year.
Chris White said: “We understand that a number of the employees who were made redundant have now been taken on by Ennis Construction.
“Ennis has been hit by the economy and lack of activity in construction. They had a winding-up petition issued against them, supported by 15 creditors and there were no other options available for these companies but to cease trading.”
