BALLAST TOOLS (UK) LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
02554775 · ltd · incorporated 1990-11-02
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 2025
Net worth
£-189.9k
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
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What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 33170
Sector: Manufacturing
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
  • 71129Other engineering activities
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)
Distressed active trading company — structural issues outweigh the discount.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 68). 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 · 2 lenders · oldest 32.7y

30/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 32.7 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

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, 2 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
11 officers (2 active, 11 linked, 7 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
131 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.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declared
Negative net assets
Liabilities exceed assets by £189,926

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
-£190k
↓ 2.5% YoY
Current Assets
£37k
↓ 16% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
-£190k-£143k-£96k-£50k-£3k£44kSept 2024Sept 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2025-09-302024-09-30
Total assets£-37.4k£-30.5k
Current assets£36.8k£43.8k
Net assets£-189.9k£-185.3k

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
1
filing
  • • 1 accounts
Last 90 days
1
filing
  • • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (38 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-06-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-11-04
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  3. 2025-11-04
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  4. 2025-11-04
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  5. 2025-11-04
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  6. 2025-11-04
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  7. 2025-10-31
    ➖
    WILLIAMS, Edward Elsworth resigned
    director
  8. 2025-10-31
    ➖
    WILLIAMS, Jonathan resigned
    director
  9. 2025-06-16
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  10. 2025-01-29
    📄
    gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
    gazette · DISS40
  11. 2025-01-28
    📄
    gazette-notice-compulsory
    gazette · GAZ1
  12. 2024-06-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  13. 2023-06-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  14. 2022-05-07
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  15. 2022-01-26
    📄
    gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
    gazette · DISS40
  16. 2022-01-25
    📄
    gazette-notice-compulsory
    gazette · GAZ1
  17. 2021-01-19
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  18. 2020-12-10
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  19. 2020-05-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  20. 2019-06-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  21. 2014-07-22
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: North Sheffield Property Llc
  22. 2014-04-16
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  23. 2011-02-28
    ➖
    DIXON, Ian Michael resigned
    director
  24. 2005-01-21
    ➖
    DIXON, Janet Linda resigned
    director
  25. 2003-11-30
    ➕
    WILLIAMS, Keith P appointed
    secretary
  26. 2003-11-30
    ➖
    WILLIAMS, Edward Elsworth resigned
    secretary
  27. 2003-11-30
    ➕
    WILLIAMS, Jonathan appointed
    director
  28. 2002-03-21
    ➕
    DIXON, Janet Linda appointed
    director
  29. 1998-10-01
    ➕
    DIXON, Ian Michael appointed
    director
  30. 1997-05-08
    ➕
    WILLIAMS, Keith P appointed
    director
  31. 1997-05-08
    ➕
    WILLIAMS, Edward Elsworth appointed
    secretary
  32. 1997-05-08
    ➖
    INGLIS, Rex resigned
    director
  33. 1997-05-08
    ➖
    WHEELER, Michael John resigned
    director
  34. 1997-02-03
    ➖
    BENNETT, David John resigned
    secretary
  35. 1994-07-21
    ➕
    BENNETT, David John appointed
    secretary
  36. 1994-07-21
    ➖
    WILLIAMS, Edward Elsworth resigned
    secretary
  37. 1993-11-17
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
  38. 1990-11-02
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As BALLAST TOOLS (UK) LIMITED

Owner dependency

100/100
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.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 29 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 68 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

95/100
Likely off-market candidate

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

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 68. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 29 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 36 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 ·
2 director resignations in last 12 months
medium

Multiple recent departures can indicate governance disagreement, succession event, or preparation for sale/stress.

Evidence: WILLIAMS, Edward Elsworth resigned 2025-10-31; WILLIAMS, Jonathan resigned 2025-10-31

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr. Keith Williams
Individual · American · DOB 08/1958 · age 68
75–100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control · trust interest · firm interest06/04/2016
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
  • Mr Edward Elsworth Williamsceased 31/10/2025· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
  • Mr Jonathan Williamsceased 31/10/2025· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions

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 →
🔒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
Incorporated1990-11-02
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC33170 — SIC 33170

Registered office

Unit 1 Glenmore Business Park Southmead Close
Westmead
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN5 7FP
England

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-06-30
Last made up to: 2025-09-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-16
Last: 2025-11-02

Officers (2 active · 9 resigned)

WILLIAMS, Keith P→
secretary · appointed 2003-11-30
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
WILLIAMS, Keith P→
director · ~68y · appointed 1997-05-08
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BENNETT, David John→
secretary · appointed 1994-07-21 · resigned 1997-02-03
Resigned
WILLIAMS, Edward Elsworth→
secretary · appointed 1997-05-08 · resigned 2003-11-30
Resigned
WILLIAMS, Edward Elsworth→
secretary · resigned 1994-07-21
Resigned
DIXON, Ian Michael→
director · ~67y · appointed 1998-10-01 · resigned 2011-02-28
Resigned
DIXON, Janet Linda→
director · ~67y · appointed 2002-03-21 · resigned 2005-01-21
Resigned
INGLIS, Rex→
director · ~93y · resigned 1997-05-08
Resigned
WHEELER, Michael John→
director · ~70y · resigned 1997-05-08
Resigned
WILLIAMS, Edward Elsworth→
director · ~66y · resigned 2025-10-31
Resigned
WILLIAMS, Jonathan→
director · ~58y · appointed 2003-11-30 · resigned 2025-10-31
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
North Sheffield Property
North Sheffield Property Llc
A registered charge1 property22/07/2014—
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank PLC
Single debenture1 property17/11/199316/04/2014
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (131 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2026-06-30
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-11-04
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-11-04
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-11-04
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-11-04
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-11-04
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-11-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-06-16
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2025-01-29
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2025-01-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-06-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-12-09
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-06-17
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-13