Aberdeen Clothing Company Goes Bust: What Happened to North East Rig Out?

The Aberdeen clothing company that went bust is North East Rig Out (Aberdeen) Limited, commonly known as NERO. The specialist workwear manufacturer stopped trading and entered creditors’ voluntary liquidation on 15 April 2026.

All eight remaining employees were made redundant, the company’s assets were sold at auction and its premises were returned to the landlord.

The liquidator linked the company’s difficulties to sustained pressure caused by the prolonged downturn in the north-east energy sector.

As of September 2026, North East Rig Out (Aberdeen) Limited is still officially recorded as being in liquidation, rather than dissolved.

Last Updated: 22.09.2026

Which Aberdeen Clothing Company Has Gone Bust?

The company is North East Rig Out (Aberdeen) Limited, company number SC615457. It operated under the NERO name and specialised in manufacturing workwear alongside the wholesale supply of clothing and footwear.

The official Companies House company record currently lists the business as a private limited company in liquidation.

It was incorporated on 5 December 2018 and has the registered business activities of manufacturing workwear and wholesaling clothing and footwear.

This is important because the legal company should not be confused with the wider NERO business history. North East Rig Out promoted more than 40 years of workwear experience, while the particular limited company that entered liquidation existed from 2018.

When Was North East Rig Out Founded?

North East Rig Out described itself as having more than four decades of experience in the workwear industry. However, North East Rig Out (Aberdeen) Limited was incorporated on 5 December 2018.

These two dates can exist together. A trading operation, brand or predecessor business may have operated for many years before the incorporation of the particular legal entity that later entered liquidation.

The available records therefore support describing NERO as a business with more than 40 years of reported workwear experience while making clear that company number SC615457 was established in 2018.

Complete Timeline: From North East Rig Out’s Beginnings to Its Current Liquidation Status

The history of the Aberdeen clothing company goes beyond the announcement that it had gone bust. Companies House records show several ownership, management and address changes before liquidation.

Date	Development
More Than 40 Years Ago	The wider NERO operation says its workwear experience began more than four decades ago
5 December 2018	North East Rig Out (Aberdeen) Limited was incorporated
5 February 2019	A floating charge was created in favour of Clydesdale Bank
12 July 2024	GDI Global Ltd became a person with significant control
25 November 2024	James Bisset ceased being a director and Clarke Peacock and Michael Emslie were appointed
19 March 2025	The registered office moved to Unit 8 Altens Trade Centre
4 August 2025	Michael Emslie resigned as a director
8 August 2025	GDI Global ceased having significant control and Reidfab Limited became the controlling company
14 November 2025	Accounts to 31 January 2025 were filed
15 April 2026	Creditors’ voluntary liquidation commenced
17 April 2026	The winding-up resolution was filed
20 April 2026	The registered office moved to 12 Carden Place
May 2026	The closure and redundancies received wider public attention
September 2026	Companies House continues to record the company as being in liquidation

The chronology shows that the liquidation was preceded by several changes in ownership and management. Those changes are factual corporate events, but there is no verified evidence establishing that they caused the business to fail.

What Happened to North East Rig Out?

North East Rig Out stopped trading after the decision was made to wind up the company voluntarily.

The formal insolvency record gives 15 April 2026 as the commencement date for its creditors’ voluntary liquidation.

The immediate consequences included:

• Trading Ceased: Normal business operations came to an end.
• Eight Jobs Were Lost: All remaining employees were made redundant.
• Assets Were Sold: Business assets were disposed of through auction.
• Premises Were Returned: The company’s Aberdeen premises went back to the landlord.
• A Liquidator Was Appointed: Michael Reid of MHA took responsibility for the liquidation process.

The company remains in the formal winding-up process, meaning liquidation should not be confused with dissolution. A company can remain legally registered during liquidation while the liquidator deals with claims, assets and statutory requirements.

Why Did the Aberdeen Clothing Company Go Bust?

Pressure From the North-East Energy Downturn

The main publicly identified source of financial pressure was the prolonged downturn affecting the north-east energy sector.

North East Rig Out supplied specialist clothing and workwear to industries including oil, gas and energy. Its exposure to industrial customers therefore made conditions in Aberdeen’s energy economy commercially important.

The liquidator linked the company’s closure to sustained pressure resulting from the downturn and its effect on businesses throughout north-east Scotland.

For workwear suppliers, weaker industrial activity can potentially reduce demand for protective clothing, uniforms and other equipment.

However, there is no verified evidence showing that a particular customer cancellation or individual energy contract directly triggered North East Rig Out’s liquidation.

What Is Confirmed and What Remains Unknown?

The energy-sector downturn is the clearest publicly stated factor behind the company’s problems.

However, several details remain unconfirmed, including:

• Exact Total Debt: No complete publicly verified total has been established in the material reviewed.
• Individual Contract Losses: No specific lost customer contract has been confirmed as the cause.
• Tax Liabilities: There is no evidence reviewed that establishes unpaid tax as the reason for the collapse.
• Management Decisions: Corporate changes occurred before liquidation, but they should not automatically be treated as causes.
• Creditor Recoveries: The amount unsecured creditors may ultimately receive remains unknown.

Keeping these distinctions clear prevents assumptions from being presented as established facts.

What Did North East Rig Out’s Last Accounts Show?

The company’s final accounts filed before liquidation covered the period ending 31 January 2025 and were submitted to Companies House on 14 November 2025. They were filed as total exemption full accounts.

Earlier accounts covering the year ending 31 January 2024 had been filed in October 2024.

These filings provide an important financial snapshot before the April 2026 liquidation, but they should not be used alone to claim that a particular balance-sheet figure caused the company to fail.

There was more than a year between the January 2025 accounting date and the commencement of liquidation.

The company’s later trading conditions, cash flow, creditor demands and changes occurring after the accounting date could all affect its eventual position.

Who Owned North East Rig Out Before the Liquidation?

Companies House records show several changes in significant control.

GDI Global Ltd became a person with significant control on 12 July 2024, holding more than 50% but less than 75% of the company’s shares and voting rights.

That control ended on 8 August 2025. Reidfab Limited then became the active person with significant control.

Reidfab Limited is recorded as having:

• 75% Or More Of The Shares
• 75% Or More Of The Voting Rights

Before these corporate shareholders appeared, James and Marjory Bisset had also been recorded as persons with significant control at different stages of the company’s history.

The ownership changes add useful context to the corporate timeline, although there is no evidence proving that the changes caused the eventual liquidation.

What Management Changes Happened Before the Company Closed?

The company’s directorship also changed before liquidation.

James Bisset had been a director since the company’s incorporation in December 2018. He resigned on 25 November 2024.

On the same date:

• Clarke Peacock Was Appointed Director
• Michael Emslie Was Appointed Director

Michael Emslie later resigned on 4 August 2025. Companies House currently records Clarke Peacock as the active director of the company while it remains in liquidation.

Again, these changes are part of the corporate record and should not be interpreted as evidence of responsibility for the company’s insolvency.

Did North East Rig Out Have a Secured Lender?

Yes. Companies House records one charge against North East Rig Out (Aberdeen) Limited.

The charge was created on 5 February 2019 in favour of Clydesdale Bank PLC, trading as Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank.

It contains a floating charge covering the company’s property or undertaking and is currently recorded by Companies House as outstanding.

This is relevant to the liquidation because security interests can affect how money realised from assets is dealt with.

However, the fact that the charge remains registered does not by itself establish how much, if anything, was outstanding to the bank when liquidation began.

What Happened to the Company’s Assets and Premises?

North East Rig Out’s assets were sold at auction following the closure, while the Aberdeen premises were returned to the landlord.

No verified public figure reviewed for this article confirms how much the auction raised.

Companies House also shows that the registered office moved from Unit 8 Altens Trade Centre in Aberdeen to 12 Carden Place on 20 April 2026.

That change occurred after liquidation commenced and should not be interpreted as the business physically relocating and continuing normal operations.

The Altens address had been associated with the trading operation, while Carden Place is connected with the liquidation administration.

How Many Jobs Were Lost?

All eight employees were made redundant when North East Rig Out ceased trading.

Employees of an insolvent company may be eligible to claim certain sums through the Insolvency Service, depending on their employment status and circumstances.

The GOV.UK redundancy payment service explains that eligible employees may be able to claim redundancy pay and other money owed by an insolvent employer, including certain wages, holiday pay and commission.

What Products and Industries Did North East Rig Out Serve?

Products And Services

NERO offered a wider range than standard workplace uniforms.

Its products and services included:

• Industrial Workwear
• Protective Clothing
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Coveralls
• Flame-Retardant Clothing
• Waterproof Clothing
• Safety Footwear
• School Uniforms
• Made-To-Measure Garments
• Bespoke Workwear
• Embroidery
• Heat-Seal Branding
• Logo Application

The company’s official NERO website continues to display workwear, PPE, schoolwear and personalisation services, despite the legal company being recorded as in liquidation.

Industries Served

North East Rig Out described its customers as operating across sectors including:

• Oil, Gas And Energy
• Construction And Engineering
• Automotive
• Aviation
• Shipping And Transportation
• Government And Military
• Retail And Services
• Schools And Clubs
• Corporate Organisations

Its exposure to industrial and energy-related customers helps explain why conditions in the north-east economy were particularly relevant to the business.

Is the North East Rig Out Website Still Active?

Yes. The NERO website remains accessible and continues to display products, company information and contact details.

However, the existence of a functioning website should not be interpreted as evidence that North East Rig Out (Aberdeen) Limited has resumed normal trading.

Companies House still records the company as being in liquidation.

Anyone dealing with an outstanding order or historic payment should therefore rely on the formal insolvency position rather than assuming that an active website means the company is operating normally.

What Should Customers, Suppliers and Creditors Do?

Customers With Outstanding Orders

Customers who had an unfinished order or had already made a payment should retain invoices, receipts, emails and order confirmations.

They may need to establish whether their claim is against the company and contact the liquidator about the status of the order or payment.

Suppliers Owed Money

Suppliers should keep evidence showing what they are owed.

This can include:

• Invoices
• Purchase Orders
• Contracts
• Delivery Records
• Statements
• Relevant Correspondence

Creditors may be required to submit formal evidence of their claim during the liquidation.

Former Employees

Former employees should retain their redundancy letter, employment information, payslips, holiday records and details of unpaid wages or other sums.

Government support may be available for qualifying claims where an insolvent employer cannot make the required payments.

What Does Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation Mean?

A creditors’ voluntary liquidation, commonly called a CVL, is a formal process used when an insolvent company is voluntarily wound up.

Once the liquidator is appointed, their role generally includes identifying and realising company assets, reviewing creditor claims, investigating the circumstances surrounding insolvency and distributing available funds according to the legal order of priority.

A CVL differs from administration. Administration can sometimes be used to rescue a company or achieve a better result for creditors through continued operations or a sale. Liquidation is primarily concerned with winding the company up.

North East Rig Out’s Companies House insolvency record specifically identifies its case as a creditors’ voluntary liquidation that commenced on 15 April 2026.

Will Creditors Get Their Money Back?

It is currently not possible to say how much North East Rig Out’s creditors will recover.

Several figures that would help determine the eventual outcome have not been publicly established in the material reviewed, including:

• Total Admitted Creditor Claims
• Final Asset Realisations
• Auction Proceeds
• Liquidation Costs
• Amounts Due Under Secured Claims
• Funds Available For Unsecured Creditors
• Final Dividend Percentage

Creditors are therefore better served by relying on formal communications from the liquidator rather than estimates about possible repayment.

Conclusion

The report that an Aberdeen clothing company goes bust refers to North East Rig Out (Aberdeen) Limited, the specialist workwear manufacturer widely known as NERO.

The company entered creditors’ voluntary liquidation on 15 April 2026, stopped trading and made all eight employees redundant.

Its assets were auctioned and its premises were returned to the landlord, while sustained pressure linked to the north-east energy downturn was identified as a key factor affecting the business.

The corporate records provide additional context that short news reports often miss.

North East Rig Out experienced changes in ownership and management in the years before liquidation, had an outstanding registered floating charge and filed its last accounts covering January 2025 several months before the closure.

As of September 2026, the company remains officially recorded as in liquidation, meaning the formal insolvency process has not yet concluded.

FAQs

Which Aberdeen Clothing Company Went Bust?

North East Rig Out (Aberdeen) Limited, also known as NERO, is the Aberdeen workwear company that entered creditors’ voluntary liquidation in April 2026.

Is North East Rig Out Still Trading?

The company stopped trading and remains recorded by Companies House as being in liquidation. Its website may still be accessible, but that does not mean normal trading has resumed.

When Did North East Rig Out Enter Liquidation?

The company’s creditors’ voluntary liquidation commenced on 15 April 2026.

Why Did North East Rig Out Go Bust?

The liquidator linked the company’s difficulties to sustained pressure from the prolonged downturn in the north-east energy sector. A complete public breakdown of every financial factor has not been released.

How Many Employees Lost Their Jobs?

All eight remaining employees were made redundant when North East Rig Out ceased trading.

Who Is the Liquidator of North East Rig Out?

Michael Reid of MHA was appointed to oversee the company’s liquidation.

What Happened to North East Rig Out’s Assets?

The company’s business assets were sold at auction and its premises were returned to the landlord. The amount raised from the asset sale has not been publicly confirmed.

Will North East Rig Out Creditors Get Their Money Back?

The final recovery for creditors is not yet publicly known. Any payment will depend on realised assets, liquidation costs, valid claims and the statutory priority applying to creditors.