08/04/2026
South Wales-based Ilesbus UK has been acquired out of administration by Minicoach World Limited in a deal facilitated by financial and real estate advisory group BTG, which has seen several jobs saved and the previous orders continued by the purchaser.
The company, which supplied minibuses and midibuses manufactured by coachbuilders at its own site in Swansea and at facility in Turkey, entered administration on 23 March, appointing licensed insolvency practitioners Huw Powell, Andrew Hook and Paul Wood, Partners at BTG, as joint administrators.
Now, Yorkshire-based Minicoach World, led by well known industry names Andrew Garratt and Kevin Procter, and who are also Directors at Cleckheaton-based coach dealer TSUK, completed the purchase of Ilesbus UK and a number of its assets on 7 April.
The sale comprises the business including the goodwill and order book, stock, work in progress and a number vehicles. As part of their purchase, the new owners have confirmed that they will be honouring the orders of customers who paid deposits to the previous company, to prevent further disruption and ensure that those operators receive the vehicles they ordered as expected. Those customers will be contacted individually in due course, says Minicoach World, regarding the status of their order and expected delivery date.
In addition to the transfer of the existing employees to the purchaser, several of those who were made redundant before the joint administrators were appointed have been offered positions with the new company. The purchaser also has the option to purchase the leasehold for the former Ilesbus UK site in Swansea, and any remaining assets will be sold by specialists from BTG’s real estate advisory arm, BTG Eddisons.
Minicoach World says it is aiming to resume operations and production promptly to limit disruption and continue service for customers and the wider supply chain. This is planned to include development of its parts supply to provide the market with better access to spares, with same day collection and next day delivery available, in addition to plans for growth and expansion of product range and capability into the future.
The company has been bought out of administration by TSUK Directors Kevin Procter and Andy Garrett. MAXSON GOH
Huw Powell, Partner in Restructuring at BTG’s Cardiff Office, said: “Working in close collaboration with Minicoach World, PME Consulting Services and Francis Wilks & Jones, we are grateful for the efforts and support of all the teams involved to have been able to facilitate the quick sale of Ilesbus UK. We are particularly glad that this has saved the jobs of the remaining five employees while providing the opportunity for production to recommence, and hope that this will benefit customers and the wider supply chain.
“Moving forward, we will continue our role as joint administrators to strive for the best outcome for creditors, including undertaking steps to realise any remaining assets, complete our investigations and report to stakeholders in line with our statutory requirements. We wish Andy and Kevin success in this new venture as they look to grow it in the long term.”
In a joint statement, Directors Andrew Garratt and Kevin Procter said: “We are pleased to have been able work with BTG to rescue Ilesbus UK out of administration, preserve and reinstate jobs for the management and the majority of the team, and pick up the operations to continue service for customers and limit supply chain disruption. The quick acquisition means we are well placed to start back on the front foot, ramping up the parts supply to bring the market quick, convenient access to spares.
“We are especially pleased to be able to honour the orders of those customers who have deposits with Ilesbus UK, who we will be contacting individually about their order in due course. We will be working hard to revive and grow the business into the future and look forward to working on our plans for the business and product lines in the coming months.”
