ARMSTRONG LYON HYDRAULICS LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
01070309 · ltd · incorporated 1972-09-06
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
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
- · Oldest live charge 52.7y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Oct 2024
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Repair of machinery
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 72-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (93/100, director aged 72). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
3 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 52.7y
70/100
ready
Refinance conversation should be productive — structure clean and timing right.
- · Oldest live charge is 52.7 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
3 charges (3/3 with lender, 3/3 with type)
90
Directors & officers
7 officers (3 active, 7 linked, 5 with DOB)
84
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
102 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
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 | 2024-10-31 | 2023-10-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 500 | 500 |
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
3
filings
- • 2 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
3
filings
- • 2 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (30 events)Click to expand
- 2026-04-08📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2026-04-08📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2025-11-05📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-11-05📄replacement-filing-of-confirmation-statement-with-made-up-dateconfirmation-statement · RP01CS01
- 2025-11-05📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2025-11-05📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2025-11-05📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2025-07-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-02-22➖THOMAS, William Rees resigneddirector
- 2024-07-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-07-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-25📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2023-05-25📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2023-05-25🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2023-05-25🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2022-08-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-14📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2021-09-08🔒Charge registered #3Lender: 4SYTE Limited
- 2021-08-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-07-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-07-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2006-09-30➕SMITH, Nigel Ian appointeddirector
- 2006-09-30➕THOMAS, David Rees appointeddirector
- 2002-08-01➕THOMAS, David Rees appointedsecretary
- 2002-08-01➖THOMAS, Hilda Christina resignedsecretary
- 1996-12-12➖SPRAGUE, Jack resigneddirector
- 1996-12-12➖SPRAGUE, Sydney resigneddirector
- 1973-12-20🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1973-09-24🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1972-09-06🏢Company incorporatedAs ARMSTRONG LYON HYDRAULICS LIMITED
Owner dependency
83/100
Critical — business is the founderThe 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
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 72 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 20 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 54 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
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr David Rees Thomas Individual · British · DOB 02/1967 · age 59 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 01/03/2026 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mrs Hilda Christina Thomasceased 01/03/2026· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control
- Mr William Rees Thomasceased 22/02/2025· 75-100% shares
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMEA SERVICES UK LTD→ 12317921 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
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| ASTRAL WEEKS LIMITED→ 14841785 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ASYA COMMERCIAL KITCHEN LTD→ 15767210 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ATELIER SAINT CLARE LIMITED→ 10932883 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ATINGA UK PRODUCTIONS LIMITED→ 14476972 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1972-09-06
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC33120 — Repair of machinery
Registered office
Unit 13 Britonwood Trading Estat
Faraday Road Knowsley Industrial
Park North
Merseyside
L33 7UT
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-07-31
Last made up to: 2024-10-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-04-05
Last: 2026-03-22
Officers (3 active · 4 resigned)
THOMAS, David Rees→
Activesecretary · appointed 2002-08-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
SMITH, Nigel Ian→
Activedirector · ~72y · appointed 2006-09-30
View their other companies + combined net worth →
THOMAS, David Rees→
Activedirector · ~59y · appointed 2006-09-30
View their other companies + combined net worth →
THOMAS, Hilda Christina→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2002-08-01
SPRAGUE, Jack→
Resigneddirector · ~101y · resigned 1996-12-12
SPRAGUE, Sydney→
Resigneddirector · ~105y · resigned 1996-12-12
THOMAS, William Rees→
Resigneddirector · ~90y · resigned 2025-02-22
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
3
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | 4SYTE 4SYTE Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 08/09/2021 | — | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 20/12/1973 | 25/05/2023 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 24/09/1973 | 25/05/2023 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (102 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-04-09
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2026-04-08
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2026-04-08
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-11-05
replacement-filing-of-confirmation-statement-with-made-up-date
confirmation-statement · RP01CS01
2025-11-05
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2025-11-05
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-11-05
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-11-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-07-15
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-05-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-07-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-03-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-07-31
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-05-25
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-05-25