BLACKFIVE ENGINEERING GROUP LTD
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 77/100. Strong seller-intent signal (65/100, director aged 64). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
Refinance opportunity
3 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 34.5y
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 34.5 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
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 | 2025-07-31 | 2024-07-31 |
|---|---|---|
| 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
- • 1 accounts
Corporate timeline (27 events)Click to expand
- 2026-03-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2025-03-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2025-02-21➖SMITH, Kathleen Anne resignedsecretary
- 2025-02-21➖SMITH, Kathleen Anne resigneddirector
- 2025-02-21📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2025-02-21📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2024-03-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-10-03📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-10-03📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2023-03-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-05-31📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-05-30📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-04-13➖SMITH, John Stanley Winter, The Trustees For resigneddirector
- 2022-03-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-12-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-11-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-11-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2017-11-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2016-11-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2006-05-03🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2000-06-17🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2000-06-14🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2000-06-01🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 1997-05-23🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Midland Bank PLC
- 1992-11-20➕SMITH, John Stanley Winter, The Trustees For appointeddirector
- 1992-01-02🔒Charge registered #1Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 1987-02-20🏢Company incorporatedAs BLACKFIVE ENGINEERING GROUP LTD
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.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 64 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 64. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 39 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
1 med ·Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr David Richard John Smith Individual · British · DOB 05/1962 · age 64 | 50–75% | 50–75% | 50-75% shares · 50-75% voting | 21/09/2016 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- The Trustees For John Stanley Winter Smithceased 05/05/2023· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
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.
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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 →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 · 3 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 4 properties | 14/06/2000 | 03/05/2006 | |
| satisfied | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 23/05/1997 | 17/06/2000 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 02/01/1992 | 01/06/2000 |