BRIGHT STEELS LIMITED
📉Decliningactive
00159061 · ltd · incorporated 1919-09-24
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
Opportunity decay
drifting distress · 6-months
Drifting toward distress — expect more negotiability in 3–6 months, but also more friction.
- · Lifecycle stage drifting downward
- · Currently "declining"
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
£18.19M
year to Dec 2024
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
78/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 24310
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 73-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 78/100 (strong), bankability 70/100. Strong seller-intent signal (60/100, director aged 73). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Most likely exit: strategic trade sale (78/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
8 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 63.5y
70/100
ready
Refinance conversation should be productive — structure clean and timing right.
- · Oldest live charge is 63.5 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Legal-friction score 15/100 — clean.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (77/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
8 charges (8/8 with lender, 8/8 with type)
90
Directors & officers
7 officers (3 active, 7 linked, 5 with DOB)
84
Ownership & PSC
3 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
114 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
🔒Estimated company valuation
Sector-multiple EBITDA, turnover, and NAV-proxy valuation range with confidence tier — derived from extracted iXBRL financials.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Opportunity Score
78/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
75
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102Profitable
Profit before tax £387,305
Revenue decline
Turnover down 14% YoY
Turnover YoY
-14%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2024-12-31 | 2023-12-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £18.19M | £21.07M |
| Gross profit | £4.59M | £4.97M |
| Operating profit | £368.1k | £603.8k |
| Profit before tax | £387.3k | £605.7k |
| Average employees | 7400 | 7300 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
1 signal detected in this company's narrative notes — going-concern language, audit opinion, contingent liabilities, related-party transactions.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
3
filings
- • 2 mortgage
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (40 events)Click to expand
- 2026-02-25📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2026-02-25🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2026-02-02📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2026-01-30🔒Charge registered #8Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2025-08-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-08-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-04-16📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-04-16📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-04-16🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2024-04-16🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2023-07-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-07-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-04-26📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2022-04-26🔓Charge satisfied #6
- 2022-04-06📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-04-04🔒Charge registered #7Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2022-03-30📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-03-28🔒Charge registered #6Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2021-10-28📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2021-10-28📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2021-10-28🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2021-10-28🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2021-08-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-07-08📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2021-07-08📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2021-06-17📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-06-16📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2021-06-16📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2017-02-03➖CHOULER, Anne Edith resigneddirector
- 2013-09-21➖CHOULER, Peter Noel resigneddirector
- 2012-10-05➕PRATT, Marianne Rebecca Chouler appointeddirector
- 2006-05-26➖SHEPHERD, Brian resigneddirector
- 2006-04-28➕CHOULER, Lindsay Paul appointedsecretary
- 2006-04-28➖SHEPHERD, Brian resignedsecretary
- 1987-04-03🔒Charge registered #5Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 1986-09-08🔒Charge registered #4Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 1967-10-13🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Westminster Bank Limited
- 1966-05-18🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Westminster Bank Limited
- 1962-12-12🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Westminster Bank Limited
- 1919-09-24🏢Company incorporatedAs BRIGHT STEELS LIMITED
Owner dependency
73/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 73 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
89/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 73 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 14 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 107 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
1 med ·Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Shareholders & ownership
3 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mrs Annabel Clare Roberts Individual · British · DOB 08/1955 · age 71 | 25–50% | — | 25-50% shares | 06/04/2016 |
Mrs Melinda Jane Mcdonald Individual · British · DOB 08/1958 · age 68 | 25–50% | — | 25-50% shares | 06/04/2016 |
Mr Lindsay Paul Chouler Individual · British · DOB 07/1953 · age 73 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BARON-COLAIRO ENGINEERING LTD→ 14778452 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
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| BLUE OLIVINE LTD→ 16863657 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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| BOILER CARE (HULL) LIMITED→ 12429801 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| BOR GROUP LTD→ 12298508 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| BRILLA LTD→ 13301074 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| BRINDAL ELECTRICAL & SECURITY SOLUTIONS LTD→ 08326130 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| BRITTONS THE WORKSHOP LTD→ 07752150 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| BROCK'S EXPLOSIVES LIMITED→ 00905763 · est 1967 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 58y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
8 specific questions generated from this company's actual signals — liquidity, leverage, director age, charge count, red flags, age-of-company.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →🔒Advanced scoring suite
Exit-route ranking, improvement thesis, quiet-distress detector, covenant-pressure proxy, extraction monitor, approaching triggers, ownership drift, local cluster, value trap, debt capacity, archetype classification — 48+ scoring modules.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Company details
Statusactive
Typeltd
Incorporated1919-09-24
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC24310 — SIC 24310
Registered office
Norton Works
Malton
North Yorkshire
YO17 9BD
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-05-18
Last: 2026-05-04
Officers (3 active · 4 resigned)
CHOULER, Lindsay Paul→
Activesecretary · appointed 2006-04-28
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
PRATT, Marianne Rebecca Chouler→
Activedirector · ~45y · appointed 2012-10-05
View their other companies + combined net worth →
SHEPHERD, Brian→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2006-04-28
CHOULER, Anne Edith→
Resigneddirector · ~96y · resigned 2017-02-03
CHOULER, Peter Noel→
Resigneddirector · ~100y · resigned 2013-09-21
SHEPHERD, Brian→
Resigneddirector · ~81y · resigned 2006-05-26
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
8
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:8 of 8 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 30/01/2026 | — | |
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | A registered charge | — | 04/04/2022 | — | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | A registered charge | — | 28/03/2022 | 26/04/2022 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 03/04/1987 | 25/02/2026 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 08/09/1986 | 16/04/2024 | |
| satisfied | Westminster Bank Westminster Bank Limited | Mortgage | 1 property | 13/10/1967 | 16/04/2024 | |
| satisfied | Westminster Bank Westminster Bank Limited | Mortgage | 1 property | 18/05/1966 | 28/10/2021 | |
| satisfied | Westminster Bank Westminster Bank Limited | Mortgage | 3 properties | 12/12/1962 | 28/10/2021 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (114 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-05-06
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2026-02-25
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2026-02-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-08-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-05-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2024-08-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-07
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-04-16
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-04-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2023-07-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-05-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2022-07-01
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-05-06
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2022-04-26
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2022-04-06