Warwick Ward Construction Firm Collapse: 89 Jobs Lost After 55 Years of Trading
Major Construction Firm Falls Into Administration
After 55 years in business, Warwick Ward (Machinery) Ltd has appointed administrators and nearly all of its 89 employees have been made redundant. The Yorkshire-based company, which grew to become one of the largest stockists and suppliers of new and used earthmoving and waste recycling equipment in the UK, collapsed in early December 2025, marking a devastating blow to the construction sector just before Christmas.
Joint administrators from Interpath were appointed on 3 December 2025, bringing operations to an immediate halt. The firm operated from headquarters in Barnsley, Yorkshire, and additional depots in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, and Harlow, Essex, serving clients across the nation.
The Transition to Employee Ownership
The company’s troubles intensified following a significant change in ownership structure. In June 2023 owner-directors Ashley and Matt Ward sold the company to an employee ownership trust. The transition proved financially challenging, with the first year under employee ownership resulting in a pre-tax loss of £1.3m with sales revenue falling 11% to £45.3m, a stark contrast to the pre-tax profit of £679,000 on sales of £51.2m achieved in the Wards’ final year of ownership.
Economic Headwinds and Industry Pressures
Administrators cited “wider economic headwinds” impacting the construction and recycling sectors as the main cause for the company’s downfall. Joint administrator James Lumb explained that the debt accrued as part of its transition to employee ownership was certainly a contributory factor in its difficulties, but ultimately it was the wider economic headwinds buffeting the construction and waste recycling sectors that served to place unsustainable pressure on the company’s cashflow.
The firm had faced significant financial difficulties in recent times, exacerbated by the general drift in capital spending witnessed across the building and construction and waste recycling sectors, and when a solvent solution could not be found, the directors took steps to file for the appointment of administrators.
What This Means for the Industry
The collapse of Warwick Ward highlights the mounting pressures facing construction and plant hire businesses across the UK. Asset disposal specialist BPI will oversee the sale of construction plant and equipment through a series of online auctions, including earthmoving machinery, excavators, dumpers, and equipment from leading manufacturers such as Case, Terex and Keestrack.
This collapse serves as a cautionary tale about the risks associated with employee ownership transitions during economically challenging times, particularly when combined with declining capital spending in the construction sector. The loss of 89 jobs just before Christmas underscores the human cost of economic downturns and the fragility of even well-established businesses in today’s market.