Telford Transport Solutions Limited, a warehousing and transportation business based in Telford, Shropshire, has been placed into administration after 17 years in operation. The company was put into administration after failing to pay arrears of over £1.2 million to HMRC.
Administrators appointed and business sold
David Kemp and Richard Hunt of Exigen Group were appointed as Joint Administrators on October 2, 2026, according to The Gazette. The directors recognised that the company was insolvent after HMRC served a winding up petition on September 30, 2026, and supported the debenture holder's decision to place the company into administration.
The business and assets were sold the same day to an unassociated business, Lloyd Baker Leather Limited, for £320,000. The business was sold as a going concern and continues to trade from all three of its Telford sites.
Jobs saved under TUPE
The firm employed a total of 69 employees. The administrators confirmed that 64 of the 69 employees have since been transferred to the new owner under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations), so the majority of jobs have been saved and the core management team remains in place.
Exigen confirmed that over a number of months the firm built up HMRC arrears of around £1.2 million. When a Time to Pay arrangement was rejected, the debt continued to grow.
Industry pressures and advice
When asked why a number of haulage firms have entered administration in recent months, Exigen explained that a number of firms have “struggled” to absorb rising costs in fuel, insurance, vehicle, and driver wage costs. The administrators told Express.co.uk: “Haulage operates on tight margins, and many firms have struggled to absorb sustained increases in fuel, insurance, vehicle, and driver wage costs. Late payment from customers puts further strain on cash flow, and when firms fall behind on VAT and PAYE, HMRC is increasingly willing to take enforcement action. Directors who seek advice early often have more options available, including a sale that keeps the business trading and protects jobs.”
David Kemp, joint administrator at Exigen Group, said: “The company had traded for 17 years, but this case shows how important it is for directors to take early action when financial difficulties arise. Once the threat of a winding up petition becomes imminent, the options available to a company become much more limited. In this case, early initial planning enabled a rescue strategy despite the winding up petition, and a pre-pack sale could be completed. The business is still trading, all three sites have been retained, and 64 jobs have transferred to the new owner. That’s why we always say take advice early, because there are far more options while there’s still time to work with.”
Rise in administrations
According to the most recent official figures, 182 businesses entered administration in August, a 60% increase in August 2025. The average monthly number of administrations in the first eight months of 2026 was 36% higher than the 2025 monthly average. Official public record of insolvencies, The Gazette, said this was driven by higher numbers between March and August 2026, when more than 250 connected companies in the real estate sector entered administration.
