WridgWays, one of Australia’s largest movers, has gone into voluntary administration.
According to press reports, the closure of the 125-year-old business has customers, suppliers and staff facing uncertainty, and follows reports of poor service during recent months. The majority of the company’s staff have already been stood down.
The news came a few hours before Australian network 9Now was due to broadcast an investigative report into its operations on its A Current Affair report programme.
WridgWays Australia CEO Kobus Fourie said in a statement: ‘We are saddened by this turn of events and will support our people as best as possible through this time. WridgWays has a long history of supporting the Australian consumer with relocating, and we remain committed to completing any in-progress consumer deliveries and will work to ensure all customers receive their belongings.
‘As with many other iconic Australian businesses, WridgWays has been significantly impacted by Covid-19, particularly some substantial non-payments by international removalists.
‘This has resulted in difficulties within the WridgWays supply chain with some customers experiencing delays in fulfilling their delivery.’
FIDI removed WridgWay’s FIDI Affiliation at the beginning of the month.
Jesse van Sas, FIDI Secretary General, said the news came as a reminder for movers to continue adapting and modernising the way they operate.
‘Companies do not last forever, but the demise of older companies is not inevitable,’ he said. ‘Many businesses successfully withstand the aging process by not living on the historical successes or the merits of their sheer existence, but by constantly and consistently rethinking the purpose of the business. This is another wake-up call in our industry and for our members.’
