AMS-WellPict European has finally gone into administration after filing notice of intent last month.

BDO Stoy Hayward business restructuring partners Tony Nygate and David Gilbert were formally appointed joint administrators over Advanced Marketing Services Ltd, WellPict European Ltd and Hiller Farms Ltd on August 21, and WellPict European Fresh Logistics Ltd on August 27.

Nygate and James Stephen were also appointed joint administrators over WellPict European (Scotland) Ltd on August 21 and on their appointment, the business and assets of WellPict European (Scotland) Ltd were sold immediately, protecting 178 jobs.

Unfortunately, the outlook for the employees of the group in the rest of the UK is not as bright and of the 762 staff it employed in the Midlands and Devon, 584 have been made redundant.

Nygate said: “It is unfortunate that due to very tough conditions in the market we have been unable to continue to trade the business and have had to make a number of redundancies. We are reviewing all the options available to ascertain whether the remaining parts of the business can be sold.”

Nygate also made clear that a number of businesses associated with the group are not subject to administration; New World Fruits, Fruitful, Crop Pro-Tech, AMS Imperial, Carter & Thomas, Readswift, Euroberry (UK), WellPict County Local and WellPict European Growers.

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