LAWRENCE MACHINERY LIMITED
Opportunity 75/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (68/100, director aged 84). 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).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (79/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsHover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 200 | 200 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
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
- • 2 officers
- • 1 persons-with-significant-control
- • 2 officers
- • 1 persons-with-significant-control
- • 2 officers
- • 1 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 accounts
Corporate timeline (18 events)Click to expand
- 2026-05-13📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2026-05-13📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2026-05-13📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2026-05-02➖SMITH, Jill Helen resignedsecretary
- 2026-05-02➖SMITH, Jill Helen resigneddirector
- 2025-12-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-07-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2022-12-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2021-12-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2021-10-04📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2020-12-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2019-12-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2019-10-17📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2019-10-17📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2018-12-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2017-12-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 1982-04-28🏢Company incorporatedAs LAWRENCE MACHINERY LIMITED
Owner dependency
The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 84 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 84 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 44 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
1 med ·Multiple recent departures can indicate governance disagreement, succession event, or preparation for sale/stress.
Evidence: SMITH, Jill Helen resigned 2026-05-02; SMITH, Jill Helen resigned 2026-05-02
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Lawrence John Smith Individual · British · DOB 01/1942 · age 84 | 25–50% | 25–50% | board control25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control | 17/10/2019 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mrs Jill Helen Smithceased 02/05/2026· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control
- Mr Lawrence John Smithceased 17/10/2019· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 POOLE ROAD LIMITED→ 14874264 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| 124A LOWER NORTHAM ROAD MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED→ 06953004 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| 130 PROPERTY LTD→ 11279961 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| 21 SIXTY SIX LTD→ 13412807 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| 220230 PROPERTY LIMITED→ 11062350 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| 330 BITTERNE ROAD MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED→ 05988385 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 19y | — | — |
| 3SI LIMITED→ 13506791 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| 48 & 48A W54XH LIMITED→ 13221532 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| 50 STOCKBRIDGE ROAD LIMITED→ 09962798 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| 5W NEW LTD→ 16530088 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6 CARLTON CRESCENT (FREEHOLD) LTD→ 16817760 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 60 SHIP STREET BRIGHTON LIMITED→ 16368615 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
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 →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
Registered office
Filing status
Officers (1 active · 2 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.