Liquidated scaffolding business bought out

A number of employees who lost their jobs when a Taranaki scaffolding company was put into liquidation have been rehired by an out-of-town company that bought the business.

New Zealand Scaffolding Group (NZSG) recently purchased Chain Rigging and Scaffolding Limited (CRSL), a division of Chain Resources Limited (CRL), which was placed in liquidation on December 19 by the Commissioner of the Inland Revenue Department.

It is the new owners’, who have a number of regional branches across the country including in Wellington and Christchurch, first investment in to the Taranaki area.

NZSG director Chris Warren said the company began operating in February and was committed to building a quality business and being a good corporate citizen in the region.

He said they planned to drop the resources arm of the business to solely focus on scaffolding and rigging as that was the company’s specialist area.

NZSG, which also purchased the defunct company’s assets, will operate under Chain Scaffolding Limited and has rehired six workers who lost their jobs when the business went under just before Christmas.

Warren planned to re-employ more as the company grew.

The former director of both CRSL and CRL, Glenn Maraenui Peri, pleaded guilty in court to 28 tax-related charges at the beginning of the month.

According to a liquidator’s report, both companies were placed in liquidation due to significant GST, PAYE, and other tax debts owing to the IRD.

IRD was listed in the report as a preferential debt to both companies.

In relation to CRSL, it said IRD had filed a claim for outstanding GST, PAYE, FBT and employer deductions from wages to the amount of $1,620,008, which included a preferential claim of $903,954.

IRD also filed a claim in relation to the same outstanding taxes for CRL to the amount of $475,322, which included a preferential claim of $303,952.

According to the report, Peri advised both companies’ business suffered as a result of the downturn in the Taranaki oil and gas industry, and significant projects not materialising.

Warren said he was aware of the company’s history and described it as ‘‘unfortunate’’.

He would not comment further on the issue, only to say: ‘‘we are simply here to give it our best shot and rebuild a good quality local business over time.’’

Peri is due to reappear in court on May 11.