Thursday 31 January 2013

Moorfields appointed Administrators over Teknoflex Ltd the UKs largest supplier of flexible and flex-rigid multilayer circuits


Buyers are being sought for the UK’s largest manufacturer and supplier of flexible and flex-rigid multilayer circuits Teknoflex Ltd, which was placed into administration on Monday 14th January 2013.

The business, which operates in Sussex specialises in the design, manufacturing and assembling of flexible circuits and flex-rigid multi-layer inter connection systems to both the UK and overseas market with a particular focus on high technology, niche products for the defence sector. The business has traded for over 50 years with over 100 employees and has established key overseas trade in the US, France and Germany.

Simon Thomas and Shelley Bullman of leading insolvency and rescue firm Moorfields
Corporate Recovery have been appointed administrators and are looking the sell the business as a going concern.


Simon Thomas, joint administrator at Moorfields Corporate Recovery, said:“Teknoflex is a leading UK manufacturer and supplier with a strong reputation for providing high technology, niche products to a specialised market. With over 50 years experience and high quality in-house design, assembly and test facilities the firm has a solid infrastructure in place that I am confident has potential both in the UK and overseas.”

Shelley Bullman, joint administrator at Moorfields Corporate Recovery, said: “We have seen a number of manufacturing businesses suffer in 2012 following difficulties in the eurozone. As a result the market suffered a period of decline. Unexpectedly the Markit/CIPS UK Manufacturing PMI index showed an increase in December 2012 leaving the industry optimistic about 2013.”


 

Wednesday 30 January 2013

Moorfields Property Solutions Team successfully secure sale of properties totalling over £80 Million in December


The property sector has been one of the worst hit sectors in this double dip recession, but with the spotlight now firmly on London and the UK due to the Summer Games it looks like it is slowly making a recovery.

Over the last 6 months Moorfields Property Solutions team have acted on behalf of a number of lenders in the property sector, collectively owed some £800m, across a variety of properties including residential, commercial, licensed trade and development sites.

Last month the property solutions team successfully realised properties totalling over £80m with over 60% of the properties falling under the commercial or licensed trade sector. The team tackled a number of issues prior to sale including planning irregularities, rent arrears, undocumented tenancies, guarantee issues, building regulations and squatters.

Simon Thomas, Fixed Charge Receiver and Administrator at Moorfields Corporate Recovery said“Moorfields saw a number of portfolios suffer in 2012, from properties valued at £265m to small residential properties. With our success in Q4 2012 we are confident that the market will remain steady but challenging in the year ahead”
 



Tuesday 29 January 2013

Lavish fraudsters Kallakis and Williams found guilty of defrauding Banks out of £750m


Moorfields Corporate Recovery assist Serious Fraud Office with conviction of two Mayfair property businessmen guilty of defrauding banks out of millions of pounds.

Achilleas Kallakis and Alexander Williams appeared at Southwark Crown Court today to receive sentencing for orchestrating a five year period of fraud to secure loans from Allied Irish Bank (“AIB”)totalling over £750m.

The pair were found guilty of using forged or false documents to obtain substantial loans to finance the purchase of a commercial property portfolio. Both are due to receive sentencing later today.

Simon Thomas and Shelley Bullman liquidators of leading insolvency and rescue firm Moorfields Corporate Recovery assisted the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in uncovering the pairs wrongful trading activities when appointed liquidators over Oregon Finance Corporation and seven other companies used by Kallakis and Williams.

The liquidators conducted a series of investigations over the assets and liabilities of Oregon Finance Corporation the results of which were then provided to the SFO.

Kallakis and Williams is another example of Moorfields investigations team tackling fraudulent trading. In 2012, Moorfields were instrumental in obtaining a custodial sentence for two Slovakian businessmen who refused to handover £4m belonging to a UK company over which Moorfields were appointed liquidator.

Simon Thomas, joint liquidator at Moorfields Corporate Recovery, said: “Fraud is estimated to cost the UK economy billions, but the true burden of such a crime can never by known until each instance is made public as shown in the case of Kallakis and Williams. The pairs successful conviction demonstrates our ability as liquidators to uncover fraudulent trading despite a company being in liquidation. Moorfields hope to continue working with the SFO to try and prevent fraudulent trading."