Interim CFO, Restructuring and Transition Support
The Challenge
A civil construction and environmental services company was facing acute cash pressure across its operations. Lender confidence had eroded, supplier relationships were under strain, and one division was consuming resources the business could no longer support. What the situation required was financial leadership capable of establishing a clear and accurate picture of where things stood, and the judgment to act on it.
The Strategy
The engagement began with establishing a reliable financial picture across the business. A rapid assessment of cash flows, obligations, and operational performance gave leadership and lenders a credible, complete foundation from which every subsequent decision could be made.
Cash management became the operational spine of the engagement. A disciplined prioritization framework determined which obligations were met, in what order, and on what terms, protecting the operational core of the business while creating the space to address structural problems. That rigor formed the basis for a different kind of conversation with lenders. Helmsman established a cadence of transparent, accurate reporting that gave the lending group confidence in both the numbers and the people behind them. That trust created the conditions to restructure the existing debt, executing a sale-leaseback of heavy equipment that unlocked liquidity and brought the financing structure into alignment with what the business could support.
Supplier relationships required the same combination of honesty and structure. Helmsman worked through the critical supplier base methodically, negotiating payment arrangements grounded in what the business could realistically deliver, preserving relationships the operation depended on while maintaining the credibility that sustained those arrangements over time.
One division presented a different challenge. The assessment made clear it was not viable within the current structure, and Helmsman worked with leadership to wind it down in an orderly fashion, managing the financial close-out without disrupting the stabilization work underway across the rest of the business.
As the business found its footing, Helmsman managed the transition to a permanent CFO and finance team, ensuring the controls, processes, and institutional knowledge built through the engagement were transferred in full.
The Outcome
ACL navigated a genuine liquidity crisis without losing the operational foundation that made recovery possible. Lender relationships were stabilized and the debt structure was reset through a sale-leaseback that restored financial flexibility. Supplier arrangements were resolved on terms both parties could sustain. The divisional wind-down was completed in good order. The permanent finance team that succeeded Helmsman inherited a business that had been through a fundamental restructuring and was the better for it.
