Molson Group enters administration as PwC winds down UK operations, 203 jobs lost

Molson Group Limited, one of the UK's largest distributors of construction and heavy machinery, entered administration on 6 November 2026 alongside four subsidiaries after deteriorating trading conditions and weakening demand in the UK construction sector left the business facing mounting liquidity pressures. The collapse has resulted in 203 immediate redundancies, with PwC overseeing the closure of the group's UK operations and the realisation of its remaining assets.

Tom Crookham, Mark (Toby) Banfield and Ross Connock of PwC were appointed joint administrators of Molson Group Limited, while Crookham, Connock and Vesela Romagnoli were appointed joint administrators of Molson Equipment Services Limited, Capital Equipment Finance Limited, Aggregate Processing Solutions Limited and Molson Scotland Limited.

Headquartered in Bristol, the group operated from 16 locations across England and Scotland, supplying new and used construction equipment, materials-handling machinery and associated parts and services. Its product portfolio included machinery from manufacturers such as Hyundai Construction Equipment, Kobelco, Sennebogen, Bell Equipment, Thwaites and Merlo, serving construction contractors, plant hire businesses and customers in the waste and recycling sectors. The group also maintained an extensive aftersales operation supported by more than 95 service engineers.

The administrations follow several months of financial difficulties as weaker demand for construction equipment and uncertain economic conditions placed increasing pressure on the group's working capital requirements. Efforts to secure the business's future included exploring a sale of its UK trading operations and assets, but no prospective purchaser was able to complete a transaction within the available timeframe.

The extent of the group's financial deterioration was evident in its latest reported accounts for the year ended 30 September 2024. Revenue declined modestly to approximately £333 million, but operating profit fell sharply to £1.9 million from £15.9 million a year earlier. Financing costs of approximately £12.2 million contributed to a £10.3 million pre-tax loss, compared with an £8.1 million pre-tax profit in the preceding year. The figures illustrate how declining profitability and substantial financing obligations had eroded the group's financial position before its eventual collapse.

The administrators have confirmed that the UK companies have ceased trading and will be wound down rather than continuing under administration. A reduced workforce has been retained to assist with the disposal of equipment and spare parts, collection of outstanding receivables and other activities required to realise value for creditors. The administrators are also assisting employees affected by the redundancies with claims to the Redundancy Payments Service.

Immediately following the administration appointments, Molson Group Limited's shares in its US businesses were sold to Fieldsec Hastings Limited, a newly incorporated company, allowing the American operations to continue trading outside the insolvent UK group. The transaction preserved the group's US dealership operations, which include businesses trading through the Powerscreen regional network in California, Texas and Washington. All US-based employees and a small number of UK employees transferred as part of the transaction. The consideration paid for the shares has not been disclosed.