ABLE LIFTING EQUIPMENT (SOUTHERN) LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
02530653 · ltd · incorporated 1990-08-14
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Opportunity decay
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
- · Oldest live charge 33.0y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Oct 2024
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 28220
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
PursueActive trading company. Family succession underway — not a classic acquisition target.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 85/100. Same-surname younger director in place — likely family handover, not open to sale. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 33.0y
70/100
ready
Refinance conversation should be productive — structure clean and timing right.
- · Oldest live charge is 33.0 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Legal-friction score 15/100 — clean.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (79/100)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
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
9 officers (4 active, 9 linked, 5 with DOB)
81
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
113 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.
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 · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2024-10-31 | 2023-10-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 1500 | 1600 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
3 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
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (34 events)Click to expand
- 2025-07-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-05-22➕SCRIMSHAW, Maisie Josephine appointedsecretary
- 2025-05-22➕DUNNING, Simon Terry appointeddirector
- 2025-05-22📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2025-05-22📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2025-05-22📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2024-07-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-03-04📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-03-04📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-03-04🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2024-03-04🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2023-08-30📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2023-08-30📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-05-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-07-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-01-19📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-01-18📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2021-01-18📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2020-07-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-07-02📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2020-07-02📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2005-08-27🔒Charge registered #2Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland Commercial Services Limited
- 1997-08-14➖DUNNING, Mark Howard resignedsecretary
- 1996-08-09➕NEWTON, Lorraine Anne appointedsecretary
- 1996-08-09➖RICHARDSON, Ian Frederick resigneddirector
- 1994-10-27➕DUNNING, Mark Howard appointedsecretary
- 1994-10-27➖TROTTER, Andrew Edward resignedsecretary
- 1994-10-27➕RICHARDSON, Ian Frederick appointeddirector
- 1994-10-27➖TROTTER, Alan Edward resigneddirector
- 1994-10-27➖TROTTER, Andrew Edward resigneddirector
- 1993-05-05🔒Charge registered #1Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 1992-02-28➕DUNNING, Mark Howard appointeddirector
- 1990-08-14🏢Company incorporatedAs ABLE LIFTING EQUIPMENT (SOUTHERN) LIMITED
Owner dependency
84/100
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 34 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 61 — approaching natural succession window.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
26/100
Weak signalLimited succession signal. Not a near-term off-market candidate.
SIGNALS
- primaryFamily succession underway: Not a takeover target — DUNNING, Simon Terry (same surname) appointed 2025-05-22. Pattern consistent with intra-family handover.
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 61. Early succession window.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 34 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
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Mark Howard Dunning Individual · British · DOB 09/1965 · age 61 | 25–50% | — | 25-50% shares | 01/07/2016 |
Mrs Lorraine Anne Newton Individual · British · DOB 04/1964 · age 62 | 25–50% | — | 25-50% shares | 01/07/2016 |
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
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-D PRINT CENTRE LTD→ 13550596 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| 3D PRINTING DORSET LTD→ 14484120 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| 5659 LIMITED→ 11322325 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| 9VOLT LTD→ 16806143 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A-B MARINE SERVICES UK LIMITED→ 06899910 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| A.D. METAL SPINNERS LIMITED→ 01146698 · est 1973 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 52y | — | — |
| A.D.D. FILTRATION LTD→ 07328406 · est 2010 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 15y | — | — |
| AAA MARINE SERVICES LTD→ 11197067 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ABES MARINE LIMITED→ 14517340 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ABOVE AND BEYOND SERVICES LIMITED→ 10341963 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| ACCUJET LIMITED→ 06923704 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| ACE GLASS & MIRRORS LIMITED→ 06080069 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 19y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
6 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
Incorporated1990-08-14
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC28220 — SIC 28220
Registered office
Units 6 & 7 Sovereign Business Park
Willis Way
Poole
Dorset
BH15 3TB
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-07-31
Last made up to: 2024-10-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-06-05
Last: 2025-05-22
Officers (4 active · 5 resigned)
NEWTON, Lorraine Anne→
Activesecretary · appointed 1996-08-09
View their other companies + combined net worth →
SCRIMSHAW, Maisie Josephine→
Activesecretary · appointed 2025-05-22
View their other companies + combined net worth →
DUNNING, Mark Howard→
Activedirector · ~61y · appointed 1992-02-28
View their other companies + combined net worth →
DUNNING, Simon Terry→
Activedirector · ~35y · appointed 2025-05-22
View their other companies + combined net worth →
DUNNING, Mark Howard→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1994-10-27 · resigned 1997-08-14
TROTTER, Andrew Edward→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 1994-10-27
RICHARDSON, Ian Frederick→
Resigneddirector · ~65y · appointed 1994-10-27 · resigned 1996-08-09
TROTTER, Alan Edward→
Resigneddirector · ~89y · resigned 1994-10-27
TROTTER, Andrew Edward→
Resigneddirector · ~64y · resigned 1994-10-27
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
2
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland Commercial Services Limited | Fixed and floating charge | 1 property | 27/08/2005 | 04/03/2024 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Mortgage debenture | 1 property | 05/05/1993 | 04/03/2024 |
Recent filings (113 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-07-25
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2025-05-22
appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
officers · AP03
2025-05-22
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-05-22
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-05-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-08-29
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-07-29
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-03-04
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-03-04
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-08-30
change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
officers · CH03
2023-08-30
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-08-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-05-25
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-08-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-08-17