Administrators have been called into one of East Anglia’s leading engineering companies – and in a recent top 100 list of high performers.

Wisbech Standard: RJ Herbert Engineering has been placed into administration. Pictured from Herbert Engineering are Jo Herbert and Richard Newman at LAMMA 2016 at the East of England Showground earlier this year. Picture: Ian BurtRJ Herbert Engineering has been placed into administration. Pictured from Herbert Engineering are Jo Herbert and Richard Newman at LAMMA 2016 at the East of England Showground earlier this year. Picture: Ian Burt

The administrators were appointed last night to R J Herbert Engineering and R J Herbert Group Ltd of Walton Highway near Wisbech.

However, R J Herbert Systems remains outside of the administration process.

Established in 1972, and with 40 years experience in the engineering manufacturing industry, R J Herbert Engineering Ltd is a privately owned business that employs 120 workers. It has a turnover of around £11 million.

The business has remained a family concern with Rod Herbert as chairman. Herbert operates three key divisions, RJ Herbert Engineering specialising in agriculture systems, Herbert Systems providing baggage handling and automation systems to the Aerospace industry and Herbert Recycling working in the environmental and waste recycling.

A statement today from Deloitte LLP of Birmingham said that “on July 14, Chris Farrington and Matt Cowlishaw partners in Deloitte LLP, were appointed joint administrators’ of R J Herbert Engineering Limited and R J Herbert Group Limited. “The joint administrators’ are taking steps to stabilise the business and preserve value, and the companies will continue to operate while the joint administrators’ consider how this can be achieved.”

The statement added: “If you are a creditor of the companies you will shortly receive formal notification of the joint administrators’ appointment with a request to submit details of your claim.

“Should you have a query, please contact the joint administrators on 0121 696 8661 or wpackwood@deloitte.co.uk. “

Deloitte’s added that prospective buyers of either Herbert Engineering Limited or Herbert Systems Limited, should contact Louise Durkan on +44 (0117) 984 2850.

Mr Farrington, joint administrator and financial advisory partner at Deloitte, told Inside business magazine: “Due to difficult market conditions in the agricultural sector, two companies have been placed into administration.

“We are looking for a buyer for the business and expect to trade R J Herbert Engineering for a short period. Their customers are the largest food processing and packaging companies globally.”