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UK volumetric modular builder Lighthouse has permanently closed.
Timber-frame volumetric builder specialist Lighthouse has ceased operations, resulting in the loss of 113 jobs following unsuccessful attempts to sell the business. The Sheffield-based company faced significant cash flow issues, leading to the appointment of administrators last month.
FRP Advisory has taken over the administration of the company, with Richard Goodall and Martyn Rickels serving as joint administrators. A statement released by FRP Advisory explained, “[Lighthouse] has suffered cash flow pressures in recent months and efforts to secure a sale of the business and assets have unfortunately been unsuccessful.”
The collapse of Lighthouse has left all staff members jobless, who will now seek claims through the UK government-run Redundancy Payments Service. The administrators will focus on maximising returns for the creditors of the company.
Originally known as IDMH, the firm rebranded as Lighthouse in 2023. It specialised in manufacturing timber-frame volumetric modular houses, apartments, and bungalows from its factory in Sheffield. Lighthouse was formed in 2020 to acquire the assets of Liverpool-based Ideal Modular Homes, which had collapsed during the Covid pandemic despite securing a Coronavirus Business Interruption loan.
Tom White, the chief executive of Lighthouse, who had previously served on the board of Ideal Modular Homes and worked for JP Morgan, faced increasing financial difficulties. The latest unaudited accounts for the year ending 30 November 2022, reported £10.5m (AUD $20m) in current assets but disclosed no profit or loss figures. The company’s debt to creditors had escalated to £14.9m (AUD $29m), a significant increase from £6.5m (AUD $12.5m) the previous year.
In November, Lighthouse contributed to a House of Lords inquiry on modern methods of construction. During the inquiry, the company argued that the collapse of volumetric modular builders like Ilke Homes was due to “company-specific issues” and not solely macroeconomic factors. Lighthouse had projected the construction of 650 new homes in 2024 and over 1,000 in 2025, plans that have now been thwarted by the firm’s closure.
See: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighthouse-modular/about/
