AN action by plastics firm Superwood against four insurance companies following a fire at its premises in Bray in 1987 began again in the High Court yesterday. The case had been at hearing for 116 days some years ago.

In June 1995, Superwood won a Supreme Court appeal against a High Court decision in 1991 rejecting a claim for compensation against the insurance companies.

Costs estimated at more than £2 million were awarded to Superwood and the case was referred back to the High Court for damages to be assessed.

The hearing of the assessment of damages began yesterday before Mr Justice Smyth and is estimated to last for 60 days.

When the case was originally before Mr Justice O'Hanlon, now retired, in the High Court it lasted for a record 116 days.

That record has since been surpassed by the Bula case which went on in the High Court for 277 days. The Supreme Court appeal in the Superwood case lasted 16 days.

Superwood's action is against Sun Alliance Insurance Group Prudential Assurance Co Ltd; Church & General Insurance Co Ltd and Mr Raymond P. McGovern, Lloyds Underwriters' sole general representative in Ireland.

In the Supreme Court, Mrs Justice Denham, giving the principal judgment, held that the repudiation by the insurers of the insurance policy was invalid and that Superwood's appeal must succeed.

Superwood was established in 1981 by its chairman Mr Richard Bunyan, a production engineer and Mr Desmond Finnegan, who had a background in marketing.

The company manufactured products from waste plastics.

Superwood started operations from premises at Sandyford Industrial Estate, Co Dublin, and also purchased a site in 1994 at Corke Abbey, Bray.

In April 1986, a fire destroyed the Sandyford premises and insurance payments were made.

The company decided to start again in Bray. On October 26th, 1987, the Bray premises were destroyed by fire.