The bulk of Rapid Roadfreighters’ fleet will go under the hammer next week, less than three months after the trucking firm went into liquidation.

The trucking company, which operated out of nine branches throughout New Zealand with more than 200 employees, went into liquidation on Christmas Eve.

The news caught employees by surprise, especially as it came nine months after the company’s owner John Cole signed a certificate of solvency.

The first liquidators report – released in January - revealed that more than 480 creditors were owed more than $12 million, with less than $5 million in assets left in the company.

Most of the company’s $2 million in fixed assets will be up for sale next Wednesday at Turners Auctions in Auckland.