The Enquirer first revealed last week that the Newport-based contractor was in trouble.

Job losses have already begun among the 43-strong workforce with just 11 staff left.

S Dudley worked for Sainsbury’s as a preferred tier one contractor, and Tesco and Waitrose delivering projects worth up to £18m.

Turnover at the group peaked at £92m in 2011, but tight trading saw the firm make a pre-tax loss of £147,000 that year.

The company has been in business since 1920.

The aluminium operation of S Dudley & Sons, which was established in 1993 and employs 42 staff, is a stand-alone company called Dudley’s Aluminium Limited. It is totally unaffected by the closure of S Dudley & Sons.

Peter Dewey at Begbies Traynor said: “S Dudley & Sons Limited is yet another victim of the continuing difficulties in the construction sector.

Managing Director Mike Dudley told the Enquirer: “The construction sector has been depressed for some time, and pressure on margins has been intense. This had led to S Dudley & Sons becoming unsustainable.

“It has been an incredibly difficult period for us, and we are doing all that we can to help the staff who have unfortunately lost their jobs as a result of the closure of S Dudley & Sons.

“I would like to put on record my thanks to my staff, and also to the many people we have worked with over many decades of S Dudley & Sons.”