Rival contractors snap up Doyle Group staff

Aaron Morby 13 years ago
Share

Main contractors and rival specialists have been circling the failed Doyle Group to snap up staff.

Up to 40 are understood to have been made offers on the strength of the firm’s reputation as a quality concrete and fit-out specialist.

On one of the firm’s main jobs at Birmingham New Street Gateway 30 site workers have been transferred over to steel firm Watson to complete a combined concrete and steel package, which will run for two years.

Stef Stefanou, chief executive of the Doyle Group, told the Enquirer he was pleased to hear staff were being offered jobs.

He said: “I feel proud that John Doyle was such a good firm that everybody wants to employ the staff.

“One of the hardest things has been worrying about what will happen to our staff.”

He blamed the depth of the recession for the final collapse, after personally ploughing cash into the business.

Stefanou told the Enquirer: “We were stretched to breaking point by the recession. There is a serious structural problem within the industry.

“Clients have bargained so heavily that main contractors have nowhere to go but force prices on specialists contractors.

“Nobody can make a profit in the supply chain under these circumstances.”

“A few problems with cash flow and you are finished.”

He refused to comment on rumours that the group’s fit-out firm Ibex Interiors had run into a dispute on a £7m luxury flat contract in Cranley Gardens, West London.

An industry source said: “The job was completing, but there was a dispute about whether the site was ready to hand over or not.”

“The rumour is the contract was suddenly terminated.”

At the end of last week administrators from Deloitte laid off 260 staff from the estimated 350-strong Doyle Group workforce.

As well as New Street Station, specialist concrete arm John Doyle was working on St James’ Gateway, where it was finishing up on the £125m Piccadilly job for Crown Estates.

It also had the frame contract for British Land’s £40m Marble Arch House project and was working on two schools in Wandsworth for Lend Lease.

Doyle is also understood to have just secured another major contract on Gatwick airport just two weeks ago.

Ibex Interiors was working on a string of fit-out jobs across the south east.

Latest news

Driver escapes injury as scaffold collapses onto van

Major three-lift scaffold fall blocks north London high street
5 days ago

Gilbert Ash to be sold to staff

£267m turnover contractor to transition to an Employee Ownership Trust
5 days ago

M Group seals biggest-ever deal with Telent takeover

Digital infrastructure specialist deal lifts turnover to £3bn
5 days ago

Aggregates firm Ashville went down owing more than £3m

Debts revealed in Companies House update
5 days ago

Cardo saves 100 jobs at Breyer roofing arm

Private equity-backed Welsh maintenance group continues to expand
5 days ago

Excavator knocked off lorry going under bridge

Traffic Commissioner inquiry after accident in south London
5 days ago

Czech energy tycoon buys UK’s biggest rebar supplier

Spanish offload Celsa UK operation to be rebranded 7 Steel UK
6 days ago

Caddick Construction targets £400m turnover

Regional shake-up pays off at contracting arm
7 days ago

Redrow chief steps down after Barratt merger

Matthew Pratt leaving after 22 years
7 days ago

United Living names new property services senior team

New CEO and COO appointed to lead growth in housing upkeep and retrofit
6 days ago

Wynne triples turnover in three years to over £90m

Five-year growth strategy pays off
6 days ago

Speedy Hire blames Budget for branch closures

National Insurance rises accelerate closure programme
6 days ago

Builder gets suspended sentence for Covid loan fraud

M&E specialist inflated turnover to claim maximum loan
6 days ago

Scores of M&E firms win places on £400m CHIC framework

Axis Europe and Seddon secured spots on social housing deal
1 week ago

Coroner hears how worker was crushed under digger

Inquest opens into tragedy at Rose Builders site
1 week ago

Billington lowers 2025 forecast amid pricing pressure

Tender prices under pressure due to project delays and cancellations
7 days ago

Willmott Dixon lands Dover town centre revamp

Alliance agreed to regenerate several key council sites
1 week ago

Go-ahead for London City office-to-flats scheme

Hub's 150 Minories job in Aldgate to create 280 co-living homes
1 week ago

Wates mobilises as £200m Middlesbrough scheme approved

Gresham Street scheme includes a hotel, 240 flats and over 400 student rooms
1 week ago

Crashed M&E contractor TNA owed supply chain £7m

Sister company buys assets including company vans
1 week ago

Renaker eyes bumper 2025 despite Gateway 2 concern

Strong construction pipeline to support another record year
1 week ago

Wessex Water picks civils firms for £65m framework

Over 40 smaller firms will support AMP8 civils spending programme
1 week ago

Green light for nearly 400 flats at Leeds scheme

Three blocks up to 18 storeys approved at Armley Road
1 week ago

Subcontractors wanted across South London

Work up for grabs from main contractors and clients: Register now for Constructionline event
1 week ago

Heavy lorry ban on Severn Bridge as cables deteriorate

Crossing "not designed and built for today’s levels or weight of traffic"
1 week ago

Muse submits Oldham town centre regeneration plan

Plan advances for six sites to deliver 2000 homes, an hotel and office space
2 weeks ago

Construction returns to growth after two tough months

Concern grows Trump turmoil is spooking property investors
2 weeks ago

Skanska wins £43m Clifton Bridge deal

Contractors says scheme is a "complex project that will be delivered to tight timescales"
2 weeks ago

Green light for 44-storey Manchester resi tower

Developer Glenbrook to start hunt for main contractor
2 weeks ago

Ten win £670m Network Rail eastern region small works deal

CK Rail, QTS, Colt and Construction Marine pick up two lots
2 weeks ago

Contractor services