ABEL SYSTEMS LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
01912556 · ltd · incorporated 1985-05-10
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 Sept 2024
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 30990
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 80/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. 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 11.0y

45/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 11.0 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (73/100)

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
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
12 officers (2 active, 12 linked, 9 with DOB)
85
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
5 connected companies via shared directors
60
Filing history
122 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
70
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

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

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2024-09-30
Average employees30

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

🔒Filing-note intelligence

4 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
0
filings
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (41 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-09-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-02-21
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  3. 2025-02-20
    ➖
    BURKITT, Janet resigned
    director
  4. 2024-12-24
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
    accounts · AA01
  5. 2024-12-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2024-03-20
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2023-12-20
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
    accounts · AA01
  8. 2023-10-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  9. 2023-03-30
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-current-shortened
    accounts · AA01
  10. 2023-01-03
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  11. 2022-12-31
    ➖
    HAWKSWORTH, Andrew resigned
    director
  12. 2022-03-28
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-current-extended
    accounts · AA01
  13. 2021-05-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  14. 2020-06-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2020-03-13
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  16. 2020-03-13
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  17. 2020-03-03
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  18. 2020-03-03
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  19. 2020-01-22
    📄
    change-person-director-company
    officers · CH01
  20. 2020-01-22
    📄
    change-person-director-company
    officers · CH01
  21. 2019-12-13
    ➕
    BURKITT, Janet appointed
    director
  22. 2019-12-13
    ➕
    HAWKSWORTH, Andrew appointed
    director
  23. 2019-10-07
    ➖
    PICKLES, Simon David resigned
    director
  24. 2019-09-26
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  25. 2018-05-03
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  26. 2015-05-08
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  27. 2014-10-31
    ➖
    PICKLES, John resigned
    director
  28. 2011-05-27
    ➕
    PICKLES, Christopher John appointed
    secretary
  29. 2011-05-27
    ➕
    PICKLES, Christopher John appointed
    director
  30. 2011-05-27
    ➖
    SHARPE, Kathleen Shirley resigned
    secretary
  31. 2011-05-27
    ➕
    PICKLES, John appointed
    director
  32. 2011-05-27
    ➕
    PICKLES, Simon David appointed
    director
  33. 2011-05-27
    ➖
    SHARPE, Derrick resigned
    director
  34. 2011-05-27
    ➖
    SHARPE, Kathleen Shirley resigned
    director
  35. 2010-02-28
    ➖
    JACKSON, Mark Alan resigned
    director
  36. 1999-08-02
    ➕
    JACKSON, Mark Alan appointed
    director
  37. 1998-11-03
    ➖
    JACKSON, Mark Alan resigned
    director
  38. 1992-12-01
    ➖
    JACKSON, Mark Alan resigned
    secretary
  39. 1992-12-01
    ➕
    SHARPE, Kathleen Shirley appointed
    secretary
  40. 1992-12-01
    ➕
    SHARPE, Kathleen Shirley appointed
    director
  41. 1985-05-10
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As ABEL SYSTEMS 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
  • +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
  • +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 62 — approaching natural succession window.

Succession & seller-readiness

78/100
Likely off-market candidate

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

SIGNALS
  • secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 62. Early succession window.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 15 years.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 41 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

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

🏛️
Wheelbase Holdings Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares
ultimate parent
⬇
ABEL SYSTEMS LIMITED
This company · 01912556

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
Wheelbase Holdings Limited
Corporate entity
75–100%
75–100%75-100% shares · 75-100% voting06/04/2016
1 historic (ceased) PSC
  • Mr Simon Picklesceased 07/10/2019· significant influence

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

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
Incorporated1985-05-10
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC30990 — SIC 30990

Registered office

Station Road
Old Tupton
Chesterfield
Derbyshire
S42 6DA

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-06-30
Last made up to: 2024-09-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-14
Last: 2025-12-31

Officers (2 active · 10 resigned)

PICKLES, Christopher John→
secretary · appointed 2011-05-27
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
PICKLES, Christopher John→
director · ~62y · appointed 2011-05-27
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
JACKSON, Mark Alan→
secretary · resigned 1992-12-01
Resigned
SHARPE, Kathleen Shirley→
secretary · appointed 1992-12-01 · resigned 2011-05-27
Resigned
BURKITT, Janet→
director · ~62y · appointed 2019-12-13 · resigned 2025-02-20
Resigned
HAWKSWORTH, Andrew→
director · ~56y · appointed 2019-12-13 · resigned 2022-12-31
Resigned
JACKSON, Mark Alan→
director · ~67y · appointed 1999-08-02 · resigned 2010-02-28
Resigned
JACKSON, Mark Alan→
director · ~67y · resigned 1998-11-03
Resigned
PICKLES, John→
director · ~88y · appointed 2011-05-27 · resigned 2014-10-31
Resigned
PICKLES, Simon David→
director · ~59y · appointed 2011-05-27 · resigned 2019-10-07
Resigned
SHARPE, Derrick→
director · ~96y · resigned 2011-05-27
Resigned
SHARPE, Kathleen Shirley→
director · ~91y · appointed 1992-12-01 · resigned 2011-05-27
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

2
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
A registered charge—26/09/2019—
satisfied
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
A registered charge—08/05/201503/05/2018
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (122 total)

confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-09-30
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-02-21
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-06
change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
accounts · AA01
2024-12-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-03-20
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-08
change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
accounts · AA01
2023-12-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2023-10-31
change-account-reference-date-company-current-shortened
accounts · AA01
2023-03-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-16
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2023-01-03
change-account-reference-date-company-current-extended
accounts · AA01
2022-03-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-11