Nobleread Ltd has been wound up by the High Court and the official receiver has been appointed liquidator of the company.
Nobleread operated two businesses, NB Construction and NB Wholesale. Between February and April 2021, it ordered various construction goods on credit under each name following approaches to suppliers.
Representatives for NB Construction would approach building sites or tradesmen in builders’ merchants in person and offer these unpaid-for materials and supplies at a reduced price, for cash.
Arrangements with customers were made via WhatsApp and over the phone, and in most cases goods were shipped directly to site by the trade supplier. The cash payment was then collected in person by the NB Construction representative
Suppliers contacted by NB Wholesale would alternatively ship goods to a Nobleread warehouse in Essex. The owner of the warehouse told investigators that six suppliers had delivered there for Nobleread. From the warehouse the goods were collected by a removal company that was paid in cash.
The suppliers, having agreed to a credit facility with NB Wholesale, were then left unpaid, with debts totalling more than £60,000.
Goods ordered by the company from suppliers included building materials such as paving, insulation, rooflights and decking to decorating supplies, commercial microwaves, vacuums, combi boilers, reed diffusers and room sprays.
Both Nobleread entities appear to have ceased trading later in 2021, and their websites were taken down.
The Insolvency Service said that the company used identity theft to create a fake director and also when making applications for credit.
The High Court agreed that closing down the company was in the public interest, given the lack of cooperation, failure to deliver up adequate accounting records, and objectionable trading practices.
Insolvency Service chief investigator Mark George said: “ Nobleread has gone about its business in a reprehensible manner and those behind it have gone to great lengths to hide their identities. Suppliers should always do due diligence on companies before agreeing any credit facilities, and check the integrity of any trade references in particular.
“We will always seek to have companies wound-up in such cases, in the public interest.”
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