Power down: WA electrical contractor collapses into voluntary administration

A Western Australian electrical contractor that has been operating for more than 30 years and supplied machinery for mining in the Pilbara region has collapsed into voluntary administration.

Cape Range Electrical Contractors is a Newman-based electrical contractor business specialising in the supply, installation and maintenance for individual and commercial clients.       

The family-owned business has been operating since 1973 and mainly services the Newman and Pilbara region.

A tagline on the company’s website states “no job is too small or too big for us to handle”, the site also claims Cape Range Electrical Contractors is “powering up the Pilbara”.

The business also leases vehicles and other earthmoving machinery for mining and major contractor projects.

Administrators Rob Kirman and Keith Crawford of McGrathNicol were appointed to manage the voluntary administration of the company on August 18.

Kirman told SmartCompany this morning discussions with key stakeholders, including the company’s approximately 30 employees, after the collapse have so far had been positive.

“Since the administration appointment it has been business as usual,” Kirman says.

“The key strategy is to maintain that and explore expression of interests (for the purchase of the business and assets).”

The administrators are seeking urgent expressions of interest for the purchase of the business and its assets, with an advertisement appearing last week in The Australian.

The ad lists assets including a “modern, well-equipped available-for-hire fleet, including mine specification light vehicles, excavators, truck, trailers, tippers, skid steer and directional drill rigs”.

It also references a “skilled workforce providing a comprehensive range of electrical services, including industrial installation, communication cabling, maintenance and labour hire”.

The first meeting of the company’s creditors will take place in Perth on August 28, a day after expressions of interest close.

SmartCompany contacted Cape Range Electrical Contractors but did not receive a response prior to deadline.