Administration for Grenfell M&E contractor (not part of the web of blame) confirmed by Gazette

On 12 February The Gazette, which is the official public record, confirmed that administrators had been appointed in the High Court of Justice (Business and Property Courts of England and Wales, Insolvency & Companies List (ChD) Court Number: CR-2025-00788) for J.S.Wright & Co.Limited.

J S Wright & Co Ltd were the M&E contractors for the £8.7 million Grenfell Tower refurbishment project, appointed by Rydon (maintenance) Ltd, the main contractors with Artelia as contract administrators after the tender process. The plans for the project were initially publicised in 2012 by Studio E Architects, with Max Fordham as the specialist mechanical and electrical consultants, and it was completed in 2016.

On 14 June 2017 the Grenfell fire tragedy occurred in which 72 victims lost their lives after serious failings across a wide range of disciplines involved in the design and management of the building. Numerous reactions to and actions in response to the tragedy were set in motion following the fire, formalised with the Introduction of the Building Safety Act in 2022, with the final Grenfell Inquiry report published at 11am on Wednesday 4 September 2024. The J S Wright & Co Ltd Opening Statement (30 June 2021) and their Closing Statement (10 November 2022) were published by the inquiry and included in the final reports.

Grenfell Tower Inquiry in its closing statements pointed toward incompetence of a number of firms involved in the project and levels of denial of responsibility in what it published as the ‘web of blame’. The main contractor Rydon features significantly in the document, although J S Wright & Co Ltd as M&E sub-contractors does not feature by name.

The inquiry does name particular firms whilst indicating extended responsibilities to others firms also involved in the project. “Although our criticisms are directed principally towards Studio E, Exova, Rydon, Harley and RBKC Building Control, the TMO must also bear a share of the blame for the disaster because it failed to ensure the position of Exova was clarified after Rydon had been appointed and that the fire safety strategy was completed.”

It also mentions companies including Arconic, the manufacturer of the Reynobond 55 PE cladding panels used in the tower, and thermal insulation manufacturers Celotex and Kingspan saying “They engaged in deliberate and sustained strategies to manipulate the testing processes, misrepresent these data and mislead the market. In the case of the principal insulation product used on Grenfell Tower, Celotex RS5000, the Building Research Establishment was complicit in that strategy.” (Construction Management 'The companies blamed for the Grenfell disaster' 4 September 2024)

Studio E Architects Limited was formed in 1994, whilst a separate company Studio E Limited Liability Partnership, was registered in 2007, commenced trading in 2011 and was wound up in 2014, owing creditors more than £200,000. The Grenfell Tower commission was originally on the books of Studio E Limited Liability Partnership when the practice began working on the scheme in 2012, but when the Limited Liability Partnership went into voluntary liquidation in August 2014, some of its staff, assets and the Grenfell Tower contract were taken on by Studio E Architects Ltd which continued trading until June 2020. At that point in 2020 the practice Studio E Architects Ltd, went into voluntary liquidation while investigations continued into the Grenfell Tower fire, indication is that it continues to be kept from being fully wound down.

In November 2024 it was confirmed that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) would continue an indefinite ban which applies to Kingspan, Celotex, Arconic and Rydon is part of a series of measures, in response to the Grenfell inquiry, which also includes a commitment to review and improve the council's culture. (BBC 'Council extends contractor ban after Grenfell' 30 November 2024)