Fab Industrial Logistics, based in Sydney with operations in NSW and Qld, in liquidation owing $13m

A $120m national industrial group- a one-time major NRL club backer – has collapsed owing more than $13m, while a related bloodstock company has also failed, and its high-profile director is facing a bankruptcy process.

Fab Industrial is in liquidation. Laurie and Neil Fabry.

A $120m national logistics group – a one-time major backer of a Sydney NRL team – has collapsed owing more than $13m, while its high-profile director is facing a bankruptcy process.

Six companies related to Fab Industrial Logistics – which had operations in Victoria, NSW and Queensland – owe more than $10.4m to unsecured creditors who have been told by liquidators not to expect a cent back. They also owe more than $900,000 to staff.

Fab was headquartered in the Sydney suburb of Minto and headed by Neil William Laurence Fabry, 40.

The company was $800,000-a-year jersey sponsor of the West Tigers NRL club, until a “disrespected” Mr Fabry told the club to “stick it up your a**e” after a row with chief executive Shane Richardson last year.

Speaking at the time, Mr Fabry said the Tigers had planned to add the logo of one of his competitors, Allied Express, to the jersey.

“I told (Richardson), ‘There’s not a chance you can use a rival,” he said at the time.

“If you put them on, take me off, and stick it up your a**e.’.”

FAB Industrial Logistics managing director Neil Fabry (centre) with Wests player Robbie Farah and former CEO Justin Pascoe.

Meanwhile, Mr Fabry’s racehorse ownership and breeding company, Fab Bloodstock, is also in liquidation.

Reports lodged with ASIC show that company owed almost $2.5m to creditors and had “either sold or sent to slaughter” horses worth $34,000 it owned before the company went into administration.

The Fab Industrial companies were placed into administration in November, ceased trading in January and were placed into creditors voluntary liquidation in March.

In 2023, the company told media it unloaded 100 containers of stock every week, managing the logistics of 150,000 pallets across Australia.

Mr Fabry was named Australian Young Entrepreneur of the Year in manufacturing, wholesale and distribution in 2023.

Jason Collett on The Big Easy wins race 10 the Fab Industrial Logistics Handicap during Sydney Racing at Rosehill Gardens on July 16, 2022 in Sydney, Australia.

Laurie Fabry and Neil Fabry.

Documents lodged with ASIC by liquidators Domenic Calabretta, Liam Bellamy and Andrew Quinn of Mackay Goodwin suggest the companies may have been trading while insolvent since June 2022 and that there were potential insolvent trading claims against the director worth more almost $10m.

News Corp has attempted to contact Mr Fabry for comment.

The liquidators’ report, lodged with corporate regulator ASIC, also identified potential unfair preference payments of $2.7m and 317 transactions totalling more than $23.6m that could be considered uncommercial.

The report said Mr Fabry had proposed a personal insolvency agreement, known as a Part X, under the Bankruptcy Atc, which would see his creditors paid $1m between them over three years.

Funds for the agreement are set to come from Mr Fabry’s father, logistics industry veteran Laurie Fabry, who was previously reported as Fab’s chief operating officer.

The next meeting of creditors is scheduled to be held in Sydney on June 12.

Originally published as Fab Industrial Logistics, based in Sydney with operations in NSW and Qld, in liquidation owing $13m