Slatter Group Western Australia goes into administration
One of Australia’s most prominent housing companies is going out of business – bosses aren’t answering the phone
- WA builder Slatter Group has gone bankrupt
- Ernst and Young act as liquidators
- Phones are left unanswered
A leading construction company in Western Australia, specializing in construction apartments, public and commercial real estate, has gone bankrupt.
Ernst and Young has been appointed to liquidate Slatter Group, which has worked on both government and private projects.
When Daily Mail Australia reached out to the company for comment, the phones rang.
The website is still live and says, “At Slatter Residential, we believe that forging strong relationships with our clients is the first step in making their dreams come true.”
The company, which has been operating for 20 years, was a finalist in the 2009 Telstra Business Awards under the leadership of Managing Director Mark Slatter.
Western Australia’s Slatter Group has filed for bankruptcy and liquidators have been appointed to deal with the financial fallout
Slatter Group specializes in educational projects, as well as residential and commercial buildings
It resulted in a number of major educational projects, such as the Murdoch University Senate conference room, Penrhos College’s early learning center, and the renovation of Aquino College’s boarding house.
A spokesperson for the liquidators told news.com.au they are ‘is urgently assessing the position of the company and will write to the company’s clients about current construction contracts and report to creditors in due course’.
They confirmed that the company has stopped trading.
Construction companies are still reeling from the effects of the Covid pandemic with a global shortage of timber and construction materials due to choked supply chains affected by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Australia’s construction industry continues to struggle with high prices and material shortages
This has caused material costs to increase by more than 20 percent since early 2022, with some items rising even more.
Pine has more than doubled in price, while reinforcing steel, glass, drywall, fiber cement and other materials have also increased.
There was also a labor shortage, especially right after the pandemic period, when many skilled migrants had left the country.
Such price increases and shortages meant that many permanent contract construction projects were no longer viable.
Across Australia, bankrupt companies owe hundreds of millions of dollars to subcontractors, traders, customers and the tax authorities.
This month alone, major construction companies have collapsed in Tasmania, Victoria, NSW, Queensland and South Australia.