DOUGLAS ELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
00407703 · ltd · incorporated 1946-04-04
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.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Jul 2025
Net worth
£1.44M
book net assets
Opportunity
78/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 26110
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
PursueAsset-holding vehicle with a 79-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 78/100 (strong), bankability 77/100. Strong seller-intent signal (73/100, director aged 79). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 4 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
13 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 67.2y
15/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 67.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Cashflow trend is negative — lender view likely cautious.
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)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
13 charges (13/13 with lender, 13/13 with type)
90
Directors & officers
9 officers (3 active, 9 linked, 8 with DOB)
88
Ownership & PSC
5 active PSC(s) of 6 total, 6 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
137 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
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 · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £1,438,828
Net assets shrinking
Down £87,758 YoY
Cash YoY
-29%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£103k
↓ 29% YoY
Net Worth
£1.4m
↓ 5.7% YoY
Current Assets
£238k
↓ 26% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-07-31 | 2024-07-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £1.44M | £1.53M |
| Current assets | £238.1k | £321.6k |
| Cash | £103.2k | £145.1k |
| Debtors | £75.1k | £116.9k |
| Net assets | £1.44M | £1.53M |
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
0
filings
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (56 events)Click to expand
- 2025-11-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-11-11📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2025-11-11📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2025-11-11📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-10-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-10-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-03-07📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2022-03-03📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2022-03-03📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2022-03-03📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2022-02-24➕MERRIMAN, Catherine Gemma appointeddirector
- 2021-11-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-08-02📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2021-06-11📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2021-05-13➖HUGHES, Janet resigneddirector
- 2021-05-05📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2020-10-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-04-28📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-control-without-name-datepersons-with-significant-control · PSC05
- 2020-04-28📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-control-without-name-datepersons-with-significant-control · PSC05
- 2019-11-14🔓Charge satisfied #13
- 2019-11-14🔓Charge satisfied #12
- 2019-11-14🔓Charge satisfied #11
- 2019-10-26🔓Charge satisfied #10
- 2015-07-17➕BAILEY, Peter appointeddirector
- 2015-06-06➖CHAPMAN, Matthew resigneddirector
- 2012-07-20➕CRATE, Andrew Dereck appointeddirector
- 2010-02-28➖BULLOCK, Eileen Nellie resignedsecretary
- 2006-08-10🔒Charge registered #13Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2004-12-15🔓Charge satisfied #9
- 2004-12-15🔓Charge satisfied #8
- 2004-12-15🔓Charge satisfied #7
- 2004-12-15🔓Charge satisfied #6
- 2004-12-15🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2004-07-07➕HUGHES, Janet appointeddirector
- 2004-06-30➖CHAPMAN, Edna May resigneddirector
- 2004-06-21🔒Charge registered #12Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2004-06-15🔒Charge registered #11Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2004-06-15🔒Charge registered #10Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2002-12-10➕CHAPMAN, Matthew appointeddirector
- 2002-11-28➖CHAPMAN, Douglas resigneddirector
- 2001-09-04🔒Charge registered #9Lender: Yorkshire Bank PLC
- 1999-08-10🔒Charge registered #8Lender: Yorkshire Bank PLC
- 1999-04-19🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 1997-05-27🔒Charge registered #7Lender: Yorkshire Bank PLC
- 1997-05-23🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Yorkshire Bank PLC
- 1997-04-08➖CRAWFORD, Shirley Joyce resigneddirector
- 1996-12-14🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 1995-12-20🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Yorkshire Bank PLC
- 1994-09-09🔓Charge satisfied #3
Showing most recent 50 of 56 events
Owner dependency
65/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 79 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
83/100
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 79 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 14 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 80 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.
Group structure
Forrester Boyd Trustees Limited holds majority control (50-75%). Likely parent but not wholly-owned.
🏛️majority
Forrester Boyd Trustees Limited
Corporate parent · holds 50-75% shares · board control
⬇
DOUGLAS ELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES LIMITED
This company · 00407703
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
5 active beneficial owners · fragmented| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Forrester Boyd Trustees Limited Corporate entity | 50–75% | 50–75% | board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control · trust interest | 11/11/2024 |
Mr Michael Searle Individual · British · DOB 07/1986 · age 40 | 50–75% | 50–75% | board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control · trust interest | 11/11/2024 |
Miss Catherine Gemma Merriman Individual · British · DOB 09/1976 · age 50 | — | — | sig. influencesignificant influence | 24/02/2022 |
Mr Peter Bailey Individual · British · DOB 02/1947 · age 79 | — | — | sig. influencesignificant influence | 24/02/2022 |
Mr Andrew Dereck Crate Individual · British · DOB 10/1964 · age 62 | — | — | sig. influencesignificant influence | 24/02/2022 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Estate Of Matthew Chapmanceased 11/11/2024· 50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · trust interest
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 →Similar companies
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRICK VAULT LIMITED→ 16052414 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
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| DOWSON’S WELDING AND FABRICATION LTD→ 15976468 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| DRAGONFLY CAMPERS LIMITED→ 16906472 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DRILLING SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED→ 02790340 · est 1993 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 33y | — | — |
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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
7 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
Incorporated1946-04-04
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC26110 — SIC 26110
Registered office
Unit 12 Thames Street
Louth
Lincolnshire
LN11 7AD
United Kingdom
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-04-30
Last made up to: 2025-07-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-04-15
Last: 2026-04-01
Officers (3 active · 6 resigned)
BAILEY, Peter→
Activedirector · ~79y · appointed 2015-07-17
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CRATE, Andrew Dereck→
Activedirector · ~62y · appointed 2012-07-20
View their other companies + combined net worth →
MERRIMAN, Catherine Gemma→
Activedirector · ~50y · appointed 2022-02-24
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BULLOCK, Eileen Nellie→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2010-02-28
CHAPMAN, Douglas→
Resigneddirector · ~107y · resigned 2002-11-28
CHAPMAN, Edna May→
Resigneddirector · ~107y · resigned 2004-06-30
CHAPMAN, Matthew→
Resigneddirector · ~60y · appointed 2002-12-10 · resigned 2015-06-06
CRAWFORD, Shirley Joyce→
Resigneddirector · ~85y · resigned 1997-04-08
HUGHES, Janet→
Resigneddirector · ~82y · appointed 2004-07-07 · resigned 2021-05-13
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
13
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:13 of 13 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 10/08/2006 | 14/11/2019 | |
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 2 properties | 21/06/2004 | 14/11/2019 | |
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 15/06/2004 | 14/11/2019 | |
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 15/06/2004 | 26/10/2019 | |
| satisfied | Virgin Money Yorkshire Bank PLC | Mortgage | 1 property | 04/09/2001 | 15/12/2004 | |
| satisfied | Virgin Money Yorkshire Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 10/08/1999 | 15/12/2004 | |
| satisfied | Virgin Money Yorkshire Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 27/05/1997 | 15/12/2004 | |
| satisfied | Virgin Money Yorkshire Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 23/05/1997 | 15/12/2004 | |
| satisfied | Virgin Money Yorkshire Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 20/12/1995 | 15/12/2004 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 26/03/1981 | 14/12/1996 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 17/07/1973 | 09/09/1994 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 17/07/1973 | 09/09/1994 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 15/05/1959 | 19/04/1999 |
Recent filings (137 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-04-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-11-18
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2025-11-11
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2025-11-11
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-11-11
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-04-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-10-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-10-06
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-04-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-10-03
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-04-01
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2022-03-07
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2022-03-03
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2022-03-03