Drylining giant Astins collapses

Astins, one of the largest drylining specialist contractors in the UK, has collapsed. Reports on social media during Monday expressed shock at the news with some staff writing proudly about the family ethos within the company.

The £50 million turnover business was established by Dominic Tutt and Mark Pettit in 1996. Initially based in Croydon  the company grew during the noughties and moved to Crawley in Sussex. Mr Pettit left the business in 2013 to leave Mr Tutt as the sole director.

Astins worked on many prestigious contracts including all the terminals at London Heathrow and the award winning Terminal 2, The Queens Terminal. The Company also expanded beyond its heartland and took on work outside the south east working on major contracts in Birmingham and Glasgow. Astins had also secured the contract to deliver the SFS, drywall and partitioning at the Royal Liverpool University hospital project for Carillion.

Last year a report from Astins, in collaboration with FIS, Skanska, Knauf,and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), identified the positive impact and potential of using smaller and lighter 900mm wide plasterboard in place of the standard 1,200mm wide board. Astins had gained first hand experience while working on the New Karolinska Hospital, in Stockholm, one of the largest hospital complexes in Europe.

Astins has been contacted for comment.