BIRCHILLS AUTOMOTIVE (PRESSWORK) LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
00824746 · ltd · incorporated 1964-10-27
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 Feb 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
🔔
Follow this company (free)
Email alerts on filings, charges, director changes, gazette notices. No account needed.

Unsubscribe any time from any email. GDPR-respectful.

🔒Generate AI memo →🔒Outreach pack →🔒Corporate story →📑 Reports →Sign in to watch
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 25710
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 72-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 65/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 72). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 4 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

4 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 56.5y

40/100
too messy

Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.

  • · Oldest live charge is 56.5 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
  • · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
  • · Not currently profitable — coverage conversation is a harder sell.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (72/100)

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
1 year of iXBRL accounts extracted (no YoY comparison) + narrative notes parsed
50
Lenders & charges
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
11 officers (3 active, 11 linked, 7 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
108 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.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102
Loss-making
Loss before tax £238,458

Key financials

1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2025-02-28
Profit before tax£-238.5k
Average employees29

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
3
filings
  • • 2 accounts
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (35 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-04-03
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-current-extended
    accounts · AA01
  2. 2026-02-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2025-11-24
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
    accounts · AA01
  4. 2024-12-10
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  5. 2024-02-06
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  6. 2024-02-06
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  7. 2024-01-30
    ➕
    BROADHURST, Elaine appointed
    director
  8. 2023-12-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2023-11-06
    ➖
    BROADHURST, John Stephen resigned
    director
  10. 2022-12-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  11. 2021-12-14
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2020-12-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  13. 2019-12-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2018-09-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2017-11-10
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  16. 2016-11-04
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
    accounts · AA
  17. 2016-02-08
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  18. 2007-01-12
    ➕
    WELLINGS, Andrew appointed
    secretary
  19. 2007-01-12
    ➖
    JAYNE, Deborah resigned
    secretary
  20. 2007-01-12
    ➖
    JAYNE, Deborah resigned
    director
  21. 2006-02-10
    ➕
    WELLINGS, Andrew appointed
    director
  22. 2006-01-21
    ➖
    SMALL, George resigned
    director
  23. 2005-01-08
    ➕
    JAYNE, Deborah appointed
    secretary
  24. 2005-01-08
    ➖
    SMALL, Joan resigned
    secretary
  25. 2005-01-08
    ➕
    JAYNE, Deborah appointed
    director
  26. 2005-01-08
    ➖
    SMALL, Joan resigned
    director
  27. 1995-11-01
    ➕
    BROADHURST, John Stephen appointed
    director
  28. 1994-11-15
    ➖
    LAYTON, Leslie Harold resigned
    director
  29. 1993-03-01
    ➖
    SMALL, George resigned
    secretary
  30. 1993-03-01
    ➕
    SMALL, Joan appointed
    secretary
  31. 1981-10-06
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: Lloyds Bank LTD
  32. 1972-11-02
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Barclays Bank LTD
  33. 1970-05-19
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Lloyds Bank LTD
  34. 1970-01-20
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Lloyds Bank LTD
  35. 1964-10-27
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As BIRCHILLS AUTOMOTIVE (PRESSWORK) LIMITED

Owner dependency

83/100
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
  • +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 20 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 72 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

86/100
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.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 20 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • 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.)

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr John Stephen Broadhurst
Individual · British · DOB 09/1953 · age 73
75–100%
—75-100% shares06/04/2016

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

Active · Manufacturing · WS postcode area
CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
ARKRITE FENCING MANUFACTURERS LIMITED→
01145068 · est 1973 · no financials extracted
————52y——
BARNFATHER WIRE (MIDLANDS) LIMITED→
06437348 · est 2007 · no financials extracted
————18y——
BARNFATHER WIRE LIMITED→
07030126 · est 2009 · no financials extracted
————16y——
BEACON DESIGN & ENGINEERING LIMITED→
03550810 · est 1998 · no financials extracted
————27y——
BENGAL WELDING LIMITED→
16108626 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
————1y——
BENHILL PRESS LIMITED(THE)→
00491918 · est 1951 · no financials extracted
————75y——
BGN MIDLAND LTD→
16783979 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
BH REMODELLING KITCHENS AND BEDROOMS LTD→
11469393 · est 2018 · no financials extracted
————7y——
BIFOLDDOORCOMPANYUK.CO.UK LIMITED→
10850918 · est 2017 · no financials extracted
————8y——
BIGCHESS LIMITED→
09575134 · est 2015 · no financials extracted
————10y——
BIKE2LIFE CIC→
07858706 · est 2011 · no financials extracted
————14y——
BIRCHILLS JOINERY PRODUCTS LIMITED→
04354949 · est 2002 · no financials extracted
————24y——
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions

9 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
Incorporated1964-10-27
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC25710 — SIC 25710

Registered office

Birchills House Trading Estate
Green Lane
Walsall
West Midlands
WS2 8LF

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-05-31
Last made up to: 2025-02-28
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-02-17
Last: 2026-02-03

Officers (3 active · 8 resigned)

WELLINGS, Andrew→
secretary · appointed 2007-01-12
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BROADHURST, Elaine→
director · ~72y · appointed 2024-01-30
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
WELLINGS, Andrew→
director · ~61y · appointed 2006-02-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
JAYNE, Deborah→
secretary · appointed 2005-01-08 · resigned 2007-01-12
Resigned
SMALL, George→
secretary · resigned 1993-03-01
Resigned
SMALL, Joan→
secretary · appointed 1993-03-01 · resigned 2005-01-08
Resigned
BROADHURST, John Stephen→
director · ~73y · appointed 1995-11-01 · resigned 2023-11-06
Resigned
JAYNE, Deborah→
director · ~61y · appointed 2005-01-08 · resigned 2007-01-12
Resigned
LAYTON, Leslie Harold→
director · ~97y · resigned 1994-11-15
Resigned
SMALL, George→
director · ~84y · resigned 2006-01-21
Resigned
SMALL, Joan→
director · ~84y · resigned 2005-01-08
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

4
Total charges
4
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank LTD
Debenture1 property06/10/1981—
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank LTD
Single debenture1 property02/11/1972—
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank LTD
Mortgage1 property19/05/1970—
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank LTD
Legal mortgage1 property20/01/1970—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (108 total)

change-account-reference-date-company-current-extended
accounts · AA01
2026-04-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2026-02-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-02-24
change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
accounts · AA01
2025-11-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-02-26
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-10
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-02-15
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-02-06
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-02-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-19
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-02-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-12-19
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-03-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-12-14
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-03-22