ABLETRY LIMITED

💤Zombieactive

03146326 · ltd · incorporated 1996-01-15

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 Apr 2026

Net worth

—

book net assets

Opportunity

77/100

Strong

🔒Generate AI memo →🔒Outreach pack →🔒Corporate story →📑 Reports →Sign in to watch

What this business does

Primary activity: Other manufacturing n.e.c.

Sector: Manufacturing

ALSO REGISTERED FOR

47760SIC 47760
68100Buying and selling of own real estate
68209Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate

Investor take

Pursue

Active trading company with a 65-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (68/100, director aged 65). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 2 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

4 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 30.2y

30/100

under pressure

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

· Oldest live charge is 30.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
· Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
· Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

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, 4 SIC codes, incorporation date

100

Financials

2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed

Lenders & charges

4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)

Directors & officers

8 officers (1 active, 8 linked, 4 with DOB)

Ownership & PSC

1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared

Director network

4 connected companies via shared directors

Filing history

90 filings on record

Gazette notices

No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)

Opportunity Score

77/100Strong

PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional

Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.

Business quality

Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.

Acquirability

Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.

Risk profile

Few red flags.

Signal strength

100

Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts

Cash

—

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	2026-04-30	2025-04-30
Average employees	1	100

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

🔒Filing-note intelligence

2 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

filings

• 1 officers
• 1 accounts

Last 90 days

filings

• 1 officers
• 1 accounts

Last 180 days

filings

• 1 officers
• 1 accounts

Counts from Companies House filing history.

Corporate timeline (38 events)Click to expand

2026-05-11
📄
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2026-05-01
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2026-04-28
➖
APPLETON, Margaret resigned
secretary
2025-07-03
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-05-13
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2023-05-02
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2023-01-27
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2022-11-21
📍
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2022-11-02
📄
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2022-11-02
📄
change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
officers · CH03
2022-11-02
📍
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2022-09-13
📄
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-09-12
➖
APPLETON, Neil Howard resigned
director
2022-09-07
📄
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2022-08-30
➕
APPLETON, Scott Robert appointed
director
2022-01-28
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2021-02-25
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2019-12-10
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2019-01-18
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2003-06-17
➕
APPLETON, Margaret appointed
secretary
2003-05-23
➖
APPLETON, Scott Robert, Lord resigned
secretary
2003-05-23
➖
APPLETON, Scott Robert, Lord resigned
director
2001-05-29
🔓
Charge satisfied #2
2001-05-29
🔓
Charge satisfied #1
2001-03-21
🔒
Charge registered #4
Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
2001-03-21
🔒
Charge registered #3
Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
1998-04-03
➕
APPLETON, Neil Howard appointed
director
1998-03-15
➖
APPLETON, Fred Robert resigned
director
1996-02-29
🔒
Charge registered #2
Lender: Midland Bank PLC
1996-02-29
🔒
Charge registered #1
Lender: Midland Bank PLC
1996-01-15
🏢
Company incorporated
As ABLETRY LIMITED
1996-01-15
➕
APPLETON, Scott Robert, Lord appointed
secretary
1996-01-15
➕
SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED appointed
corporate-nominee-secretary
1996-01-15
➖
SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED resigned
corporate-nominee-secretary
1996-01-15
➕
APPLETON, Fred Robert appointed
director
1996-01-15
➕
APPLETON, Scott Robert, Lord appointed
director
1996-01-15
➕
INSTANT COMPANIES LIMITED appointed
corporate-nominee-director
1996-01-15
➖
INSTANT COMPANIES LIMITED resigned
corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

90/100

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.
+Founder age: Director aged approximately 65 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

75/100

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 65. 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 30 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.

Red flags

1 med ·

Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern

medium

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
Mrs Margaret Appleton Individual · British · DOB 08/1934 · age 92	50–75%	50–75%	board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control	06/04/2016

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

Active · Manufacturing · BA postcode area

Company	Est. value	Turnover	Net worth	Staff	Age	Opp	Director
123WE LTD→ 10397064 · est 2016 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	9y	—	—
324 BOUTIQUE LIMITED→ 16757033 · est 2025 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3D METAL PRINTING LTD→ 09033118 · est 2014 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	11y	—	—
A C POWDER COATINGS LTD→ 15185164 · est 2023 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	2y	—	—
ABG LAB UK LIMITED→ 15759979 · est 2024 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	1y	—	—
AC BLAST SOLUTIONS LTD→ 15253442 · est 2023 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	2y	—	—
ACRE & HOLT LTD→ 05395424 · est 2005 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	21y	—	—
ACTIVE LINE THERAPY LTD→ 15639437 · est 2024 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	2y	—	—
ADAM WILLIAMS DESIGN LIMITED→ 06879425 · est 2009 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	17y	—	—
ADITIVO LTD→ 15752636 · est 2024 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	1y	—	—
ADVANCED CHEMICAL SPECIALTIES LIMITED→ 03260041 · est 1996 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	29y	—	—
ADVANCED METAL TREATMENTS LIMITED→ 11185701 · est 2018 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	8y	—	—

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

Incorporated1996-01-15

Jurisdictionengland-wales

Primary SIC32990 — Other manufacturing n.e.c.

Registered office

9, Redpit

Dilton Marsh

Wiltshire

BA13 4BJ

Filing status

Accounts

Next due: 2028-01-31

Last made up to: 2026-04-30

Confirmation statement

Next due: 2026-11-17

Last: 2025-11-03

Officers (1 active · 7 resigned)

APPLETON, Scott Robert→

director · ~65y · appointed 2022-08-30

View their other companies + combined net worth →

Active

APPLETON, Margaret→

secretary · appointed 2003-06-17 · resigned 2026-04-28

Resigned

APPLETON, Scott Robert, Lord→

secretary · appointed 1996-01-15 · resigned 2003-05-23

Resigned

SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED→

corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1996-01-15 · resigned 1996-01-15

Resigned

APPLETON, Fred Robert→

director · ~91y · appointed 1996-01-15 · resigned 1998-03-15

Resigned

APPLETON, Neil Howard→

director · ~63y · appointed 1998-04-03 · resigned 2022-09-12

Resigned

APPLETON, Scott Robert, Lord→

director · ~65y · appointed 1996-01-15 · resigned 2003-05-23

Resigned

INSTANT COMPANIES LIMITED→

corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1996-01-15 · resigned 1996-01-15

Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

Total charges

Outstanding

Active lenders

Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown

		Type	Properties
outstanding	National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC	Mortgage debenture	1 property	21/03/2001	—
outstanding	National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC	Legal mortgage	1 property	21/03/2001	—
satisfied	Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC	Legal mortgage	1 property	29/02/1996	29/05/2001
satisfied	Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC	Fixed and floating charge	1 property	29/02/1996	29/05/2001

Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (90 total)

termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date

officers · TM02

2026-05-11

accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity

accounts · AA

2026-05-01