Christchurch freight company in liquidation owing almost $1m

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

A Christchurch-based freight company with branches nationwide has gone into liquidation.

A Christchurch freight transport company which had branches across New Zealand is in liquidation, with creditors owed more than $900,000.

Alpine Carriers Ltd was placed into liquidation on June 4 after an application by Inland Revenue due to there being more than $530,000 in unpaid taxes. The company was incorporated in June 2021 and had ceased trading by March 2026.

During its operation it had branches in Christchurch, Timaru , Cromwell and Invercargill, and extended to Auckland and Palmerston North last year.

Alpine Carriers - Timaru branch manager Anthony Mason and owner Sam Johnson are standing in the truck, from left - helped Peter and Kay Dellow with a kitchen dilemma.

The company helped a Timaru couple whose dream retirement project turned into a renovation nightmare in 2024.

Kay and Peter Dellow were left almost $18,000 out of pocket after the company they paid for a new kitchen, Kitchens Direct, went into liquidation.

After the Dellows spoke out about their ordeal companies including Alpine Carriers came to their aid, transporting it free of charge.

Ezy Kitchens Timaru offered to supply and install a new kitchen and Alpine Carriers transported it free of charge.

A first report from the liquidator shows Alpine Carriers went into liquidation owing Inland Revenue more than $533,000 for outstanding GST, PAYE and other employee-related deductions.

The report says it was unlikely that unsecured creditors would be paid back the $370,000 owing.

It says at the time of liquidation the company did not have any employees, but the liquidator understood former employees were owed money and it was trying to make contact with them.

The report says the company’s two directors and shareholders, Samuel David Johnson and Shaun Christopher Johnson, have not completed the liquidators’ standard questionnaire, and only limited books and records have been handed over.

The most recent financial statements available cover the year ended March 31, 2025.

Liquidators are investigating several asset movements that took place before the company was wound up.

Five vehicles were transferred within two months prior to the liquidation — three of which had registered securities over them and were realised by a secured creditor before the liquidators were appointed. The liquidators say they have requested information about the remaining two vehicles.

They have also been told that company assets were removed to a storage unit in Auckland before the liquidation. They say they are reviewing that information and have asked the directors for further details.

Six secured creditors hold registered interests against the company on the Personal Property Securities Register, including a debt factoring company, which holds security over all accounts receivable which add up to more than $345,000.

The liquidators say there will be nothing left for unsecured creditors, even if those amounts are collected in full.

A shareholder current account of more than $81,000 is recorded in the March 2025 financial statements as owing to the company. The liquidators say they will review transactions after April 2025 and pursue discussions with the shareholder about repayment.

At the date of liquidation, three vehicles remained registered in the company's name. Two trucks have been delivered to an agent's yard with the secured creditor's agreement, while the liquidators say they are still trying to locate the third.