UK plant dealer Molson collapses into administration, but its US Powerscreen dealerships keep trading

PwC's joint administrators took control of Molson Group and four UK subsidiaries: Molson Scotland, Molson Equipment Services, Capital Equipment Finance and Aggregate Processing Solutions. They made 203 people redundant at once and will sell the remaining machines and parts and collect money owed, Project Plant reported. PwC said Molson employed 345 people in the UK; Construction Enquirer put the figure at about 330. The dealer ran 16 UK sites and employed over 95 service engineers.

As soon as they were appointed, the administrators sold Molson's stake in its American companies to Fieldsec Hastings Limited, a freshly formed company. The US arm trades through Powerscreen dealerships in California, Texas and Washington, according to Construction Enquirer. All US staff and a few UK employees move to the buyer. PwC's Ross Connock said the sale lets the US operations and their jobs continue outside the UK group.

The administrators blamed weaker UK construction demand and growing cash pressure, and said no buyer for the UK business could close a deal in the time available. Accounts for the year to September 2024 show £333 million in turnover and a £10.3 million pre-tax loss after £12.2 million in interest and similar costs, while operating profit fell to £1.9 million from £15.9 million, Construction Enquirer reported. It is the second collapse for the business: a predecessor, Molson Holdings, failed and entered administration in November 2007.

Molson's lineup included Hyundai Construction Equipment, Kobelco, several Terex lines, Bell Equipment, Sennebogen, Merlo, Thwaites and Husqvarna demolition robots. The reports did not say who will handle parts and warranty support for machines Molson sold in the UK.