Creditors owed $1.3m as Naba Plumbing goes into liquidation

A firm working in the construction sector for more than 10 years has gone into liquidation owing more than $1.3m adding to growing woes for the sector.

A Brisbane firm working in the construction sector for more than 10 years has collapsed owing creditors in excess of $1.3m.

Liquidators from Hall Chadwick were this week appointed to Brisbane-based Naba Plumbing, Contractors, founded by managing directors Nathan Lloyd and Sam Darwich in 2009.

The company, which had an office at Newmarket, initially specialised in medical and health plumbing fitouts before expanding into the multi-story residential, industrial and education sectors. The company employed 32 plumbers and eight apprentices with its own excavator and bobcat, concrete cutting and core drilling equipment.

Hall Chadwick spokesperson Ginette Muller said Naba owed about 100 trade creditors about $1.3 million. Ms Muller said it appeared the company had no work in progress but further investigations would be undertaken into the transfer of contracts.

According to the company’s website, Naba’s recent projects had included the Wren St Mixed Use Development at Bowen Hills, the Somerset Indooroopilly retirement village and Ascot Aurora residential tower.

According to the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC), Naba was licensed to carry plumbing, draining and gas fitting work valued at between $3m and $12m.

The QBCC said it was aware that liquidators had been appointed to Naba Plumbing and would take appropriate “exclusion” action against relevant individuals associated with the company. “If an individual is excluded, they are unable to hold a QBCC contractor, nominee supervisor or site supervisor’s licence or be a director, secretary or influential person for a QBCC-licensed company for three years,” As of June 15, the QBCC was not investigating any complaints about Naba Plumbing.

The QBCC last month said almost 100 builders has had their licences suspended for failing to submit financial information. They included pool installers, painters, bricklayers and roofers.

Naba joins Teneriffe-based Verus Construction and Slacks Creek bricklayer Total Blox in calling in liquidators over the past two weeks.

Verus, which helped roll out the famous Taco Bell chain in Australia, collapsed after a series of disputes with subbies over the past three years.

The Victorian Supreme Court appointed liquidators to the company after a winding up application from one of the company’s creditors.

Slacks Creek-based Total Blox, which has worked on major apartment buildings across the city, owes creditors more than $2m