Groundworks specialist Allma Construction and its sister company Centre Plant Limited have collapsed into administration with the loss of more than 180 jobs.

Stuart Robb and Michelle Elliot, partners with FRP Advisory, have been appointed joint administrators of the firms which were founded in 1991 and based in Barrhead near Glasgow.

Allma specialised in the house building sector and has been hit hard by the residential downturn.

The businesses had a combined turnover of £25m and employed 188 staff with 181 now made redundant

Robb said: “Allma Construction is a long-established and highly regarded supplier of specialist groundworks services to many of the leading housebuilders.

“Unfortunately, the business has been severely affected by a downturn in the home building markets and rising labour and material costs, and despite the best efforts of the directors in exploring other options, administration was the only option.

“We will now focus on marketing the assets for sale and on providing every possible support to the staff for claims to the Redundancy Payments Office.”