ALLUVIAL DREDGES LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
00306370 · ltd · incorporated 1935-10-25
Investment thesis
Zombie company — trading but stalled; unlikely mover.
Why interesting: Quiet, steady; could be a succession or carve-out candidate with the right conversation.
Why risky: No growth signal; thin margin for error on price.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Specialised design activities
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 72-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 85/100. Strong seller-intent signal (93/100, director aged 72). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Broaden director team. Sole director creates succession risk and reduces buyer comfort. Appoint a second director or strong #2. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

2 live charges · oldest 33.1y

45/100
under pressure

Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.

  • · Oldest live charge is 33.1 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: high (82/100)

Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.

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
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
15 officers (1 active, 15 linked, 10 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
10 connected companies via shared directors
75
Filing history
136 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
82/100Exceptional
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.

Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
£0£11k£23k£34k£45k£57kMar 2024Mar 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2025-03-312024-03-31
Total assets—£20.7k
Current assets—£56.7k
Cash—£10.4k
Debtors—£46.3k
Net assets—£20.7k
Average employees0—

Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.

🔒Filing-note intelligence

5 signals 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 address
Last 180 days
2
filings
  • • 1 address
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (42 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-04-10
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  2. 2025-12-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2024-12-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2024-02-21
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  5. 2024-02-21
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  6. 2024-01-31
    ➖
    MACVICAR, Archibald resigned
    secretary
  7. 2024-01-31
    ➖
    MACVICAR, Archibald resigned
    director
  8. 2023-11-09
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2022-12-09
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2022-09-14
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  11. 2021-12-14
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2021-03-17
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  13. 2020-10-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2020-01-28
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
  15. 2020-01-28
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  16. 2020-01-28
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  17. 2019-07-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  18. 2018-08-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  19. 2018-04-13
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  20. 2017-08-04
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  21. 2013-09-27
    ➕
    MACVICAR, Archibald appointed
    director
  22. 2013-09-26
    ➕
    MACVICAR, Archibald appointed
    secretary
  23. 2013-09-26
    ➖
    MCKINNEY, Brian Anthony resigned
    secretary
  24. 2013-09-26
    ➖
    MCKINNEY, Brian Anthony resigned
    director
  25. 2013-08-28
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  26. 2009-03-30
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  27. 2005-07-31
    ➖
    MACVICAR, Archibald resigned
    director
  28. 1998-06-25
    ➖
    BICKER, William resigned
    director
  29. 1995-05-25
    ➕
    WESTMORE, David Michael appointed
    director
  30. 1995-05-25
    ➕
    MCKINNEY, Brian Anthony appointed
    secretary
  31. 1995-05-25
    ➖
    MCLAUGHLAN, Margaret Rita resigned
    secretary
  32. 1995-05-25
    ➕
    BICKER, William appointed
    director
  33. 1995-05-25
    ➕
    MACVICAR, Archibald appointed
    director
  34. 1995-05-25
    ➖
    MCCUTCHEON, John Ernest resigned
    director
  35. 1993-05-17
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  36. 1993-03-30
    ➖
    MILLWARD, Brian John resigned
    secretary
  37. 1993-03-25
    ➖
    GRANT, Charles resigned
    director
  38. 1993-03-25
    ➖
    LAMB, Douglas Crawford resigned
    director
  39. 1992-03-18
    ➖
    CROSS, Donald James resigned
    director
  40. 1992-03-18
    ➖
    HAMILTON, James resigned
    director
  41. 1992-02-28
    ➖
    ROBERTSON, Ivan Byarre resigned
    director
  42. 1935-10-25
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As ALLUVIAL DREDGES LIMITED

Owner dependency

100/100
Critical — business is the founder

The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.

FACTORS
  • +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 31 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 72 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

100/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 72 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 31 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 91 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

clean
No red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)

Group structure

Lobnitz Marine Holdings Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️
Lobnitz Marine Holdings Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares
ultimate parent
⬇
ALLUVIAL DREDGES LIMITED
This company · 00306370

Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Lobnitz Marine Holdings Limited
Corporate entity
75–100%
75–100%75-100% shares · 75-100% voting06/04/2016
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
  • Mr David Michael Westmoreceased 06/04/2016· 50-75% shares
  • Mr Archibald Macvicarceased 06/04/2016· 25-50% shares

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

🔒Co-director network graph

Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →

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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
Incorporated1935-10-25
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC74100 — Specialised design activities

Registered office

5 Brayford Square
London
E1 0SG
England

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-08-14
Last: 2025-07-31

Officers (1 active · 14 resigned)

WESTMORE, David Michael→
director · ~72y · appointed 1995-05-25
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
MACVICAR, Archibald→
secretary · appointed 2013-09-26 · resigned 2024-01-31
Resigned
MCKINNEY, Brian Anthony→
secretary · appointed 1995-05-25 · resigned 2013-09-26
Resigned
MCLAUGHLAN, Margaret Rita→
secretary · resigned 1995-05-25
Resigned
MILLWARD, Brian John→
secretary · resigned 1993-03-30
Resigned
BICKER, William→
director · ~89y · appointed 1995-05-25 · resigned 1998-06-25
Resigned
CROSS, Donald James→
director · ~97y · resigned 1992-03-18
Resigned
GRANT, Charles→
director · ~90y · resigned 1993-03-25
Resigned
HAMILTON, James→
director · resigned 1992-03-18
Resigned
LAMB, Douglas Crawford→
director · ~83y · resigned 1993-03-25
Resigned
MACVICAR, Archibald→
director · ~72y · appointed 2013-09-27 · resigned 2024-01-31
Resigned
MACVICAR, Archibald→
director · ~72y · appointed 1995-05-25 · resigned 2005-07-31
Resigned
MCCUTCHEON, John Ernest→
director · ~92y · resigned 1995-05-25
Resigned
MCKINNEY, Brian Anthony→
director · ~78y · resigned 2013-09-26
Resigned
ROBERTSON, Ivan Byarre→
director · ~87y · resigned 1992-02-28
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

2
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
TypeProperties
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Charge of deposit1 property30/03/200904/08/2017
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Debenture1 property17/05/199328/08/2013

Recent filings (136 total)

change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2026-04-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-07-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-08-01
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-02-21
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2024-02-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-11-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-07-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-12-09
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2022-09-14
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-08-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-12-14
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-08-02
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2021-03-17