Its subsidiary RJT Pennant, based in Livingston, has also gone.
Some 500 employees have already been let go. The other 220 are on cal pending possible completion of work in hand.
It is understood that managing director Jim Houston and finance director Graham Shankland were forced out by the company’s lending banks as part of a failed rescue attempt before Christmas. The banks called in insolvency specialists from accountants PKF this week to wind up the business.
PKF partner Anne Buchanan said: "Harte Group is a long-established, highly-regarded firm servicing the construction industry.
"The firm has experienced a severe reduction in turnover over the last few years as well as considerable levels of bad debt from creditors who themselves have gone bust.
"Despite shedding jobs over the last few years to cope with this decline in turnover the firm is now unable to continue trading."
Harte acquired Pennant Plant and Pennant Civil Engineering from the Miller Group in 2003. In 2007 it acquired RJT Excavations . In 2009 it merged these two into RJT Pennant.
Earlier this week construction union Ucatt vowed to battle for the job security of Harte employees. Ucatt regional secretary Harry Frew said: “It’s extremely disappointing to hear that WJ Harte is facing such difficulties threatening hundreds of jobs. We hope that a buyer can be found and jobs preserved. Ucatt is seeking a meeting with the administrators to establish what the future holds for our members."
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