COMPENDIUM PUBLISHING LIMITED
⚰️Wound downdissolved
03411872 · ltd · incorporated 1997-07-30
Investment thesis
Company dissolved — not a live target.
Why interesting: Historical record only; useful for precedent research.
Why risky: Not transactable.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
53/100
Worth a look
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 2225
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)Distressed unclear — structural issues outweigh the discount.
Opportunity 53/100 (worth a look), bankability 50/100. Strong seller-intent signal (78/100, director aged 83). Asset purchase likely safer than share purchase given structural signals. Biggest value-creation lever: Resolve: Company dissolved. Company has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (58/100). Current lenders should be on monthly review.
🏦
Refinance opportunity
2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 27.7y
40/100
too messy
Structure is too messy for a clean refinance right now — clean up first or expect bespoke terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 27.7 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Legal-friction score 45/100 (high).
Data confidence
Overall: low (50/100)Sparse data coverage. Treat AI-generated outputs as preliminary. Manual diligence essential.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
8 officers (2 active, 8 linked, 5 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
No PSCs filed (unusual — worth investigating)
35
Director network
8 connected companies via shared directors
69
Filing history
69 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
53/100Worth a look
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Mixed signal. Worth opening the full target workup before deciding to pursue.
Business quality
10
Concerning — overdue filings or status flags present.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
49
Multiple red flags — proceed with caution.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
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 (44 events)Click to expand
- 2012-10-05⚠️gazette-dissolved-liquidationgazette · GAZ2
- 2012-10-05🏁Company dissolved
- 2012-07-12⚠️liquidation-in-administration-progress-report-with-brought-down-dateinsolvency · 2.24B
- 2012-07-05⚠️liquidation-in-administration-move-to-dissolution-with-case-end-dateinsolvency · 2.35B
- 2012-02-07⚠️liquidation-in-administration-progress-report-with-brought-down-dateinsolvency · 2.24B
- 2012-02-07⚠️liquidation-in-administration-extension-of-periodinsolvency · 2.31B
- 2012-02-01⚠️liquidation-in-administration-extension-of-periodinsolvency · 2.31B
- 2011-09-12⚠️liquidation-in-administration-progress-report-with-brought-down-dateinsolvency · 2.24B
- 2011-05-05⚠️liquidation-administration-notice-deemed-approval-of-proposalsinsolvency · F2.18
- 2011-04-07⚠️liquidation-in-administration-proposalsinsolvency · 2.17B
- 2011-03-30⚠️liquidation-in-administration-statement-of-affairs-with-form-attachedinsolvency · 2.16B
- 2011-02-15📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-addressaddress · AD01
- 2011-02-14⚠️liquidation-in-administration-appointment-of-administratorinsolvency · 2.12B
- 2010-12-15📄termination-director-company-with-nameofficers · TM01
- 2010-12-10➖FREEMAN, Derek Keith resigneddirector
- 2010-11-03📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2010-11-03📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2010-11-03📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2010-10-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2010-05-14📄legacymortgage · MG02
- 2010-05-13🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2009-10-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2009-07-30📄legacyannual-return · 363a
- 2009-06-23📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2009-06-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2009-05-19📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2008-10-07📄legacyannual-return · 363a
- 2008-10-07📍legacyaddress · 353
- 2008-04-21🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2007-09-10➕FREEMAN, Derek Keith appointeddirector
- 1998-09-25🔒Charge registered #1Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 1998-04-01➕BATES, Brian appointedsecretary
- 1998-04-01➕GREENE, Alan Richard appointeddirector
- 1998-04-01➖CLARK, Evelyn Rose resignedsecretary
- 1998-04-01➖PAUL, Nigel Trevor resigneddirector
- 1997-12-02➖CHILDS, Maureen Anne resignedsecretary
- 1997-12-02➕CLARK, Evelyn Rose appointedsecretary
- 1997-12-02➖CHILDS, Maureen Anne resigneddirector
- 1997-12-02➕PAUL, Nigel Trevor appointeddirector
- 1997-12-02➖PAYNE, Brian John resigneddirector
- 1997-07-30🏢Company incorporatedAs COMPENDIUM PUBLISHING LIMITED
- 1997-07-30➕CHILDS, Maureen Anne appointedsecretary
- 1997-07-30➕CHILDS, Maureen Anne appointeddirector
- 1997-07-30➕PAYNE, Brian John appointeddirector
Owner dependency
100/100
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
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 28 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 83 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
100/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 83 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 28 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 29 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
2 high ·Company dissolved
highCompany has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only.
Evidence: Dissolved on 2012-10-05
11 insolvency-related filings on record
highFilings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.
Evidence: 2012-10-05: gazette-dissolved-liquidation; 2012-07-12: liquidation-in-administration-progress-report-with-brought-down-date
🔒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 · B postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A & H GATE MAINTENANCE LTD→ 15556378 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| A + H KITCHENS LIMITED→ 03405493 · est 1997 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 28y | — | — |
| A GLEADALL JEWELLERY LTD→ 12276092 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| A. GILLIGAN (COATINGS) LTD→ 04995988 · est 2003 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| A.F.WHITE LIMITED→ 00756698 · est 1963 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 63y | — | — |
| ADVANCED ENGINEERING (UK) LIMITED→ 01388943 · est 1978 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 47y | — | — |
| ADVANCED PAT SERVICES LTD→ 14207224 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ADVIK TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED→ 15354757 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| AERO TRADE LTD→ 09509368 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| AETERNUM JEWELLERY LTD→ 11506100 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| AFL REALISATIONS LIMITED→ 00246353 · est 1930 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 96y | — | — |
| AFRISWISH LTD→ 16065138 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
11 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
Statusdissolved
Typeltd
Incorporated1997-07-30
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC2225 — SIC 2225
Registered office
DELOITTE LLP
4 Brindley Place
Birmingham
West Midlands
B1 2HZ
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: —
Last made up to: 2009-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: —
Last: —
Officers (0 active · 6 resigned)
Active
GREENE, Alan Richard→
Activedirector · ~83y · appointed 1998-04-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CHILDS, Maureen Anne→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1997-07-30 · resigned 1997-12-02
CLARK, Evelyn Rose→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1997-12-02 · resigned 1998-04-01
CHILDS, Maureen Anne→
Resigneddirector · ~90y · appointed 1997-07-30 · resigned 1997-12-02
FREEMAN, Derek Keith→
Resigneddirector · ~83y · appointed 2007-09-10 · resigned 2010-12-10
PAUL, Nigel Trevor→
Resigneddirector · ~70y · appointed 1997-12-02 · resigned 1998-04-01
PAYNE, Brian John→
Resigneddirector · ~82y · appointed 1997-07-30 · resigned 1997-12-02
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
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 21/04/2008 | — | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Mortgage debenture | 1 property | 25/09/1998 | 13/05/2010 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (69 total)
gazette-dissolved-liquidation
gazette · GAZ2
2012-10-05
liquidation-in-administration-progress-report-with-brought-down-date
insolvency · 2.24B
2012-07-12
liquidation-in-administration-move-to-dissolution-with-case-end-date
insolvency · 2.35B
2012-07-05
liquidation-in-administration-progress-report-with-brought-down-date
insolvency · 2.24B
2012-02-07
liquidation-in-administration-extension-of-period
insolvency · 2.31B
2012-02-07
liquidation-in-administration-extension-of-period
insolvency · 2.31B
2012-02-01
liquidation-in-administration-progress-report-with-brought-down-date
insolvency · 2.24B
2011-09-12
liquidation-administration-notice-deemed-approval-of-proposals
insolvency · F2.18
2011-05-05
liquidation-in-administration-proposals
insolvency · 2.17B
2011-04-07
liquidation-in-administration-statement-of-affairs-with-form-attached
insolvency · 2.16B
2011-03-30
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address
address · AD01
2011-02-15
liquidation-in-administration-appointment-of-administrator
insolvency · 2.12B
2011-02-14
termination-director-company-with-name
officers · TM01
2010-12-15
annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
annual-return · AR01
2010-11-03
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2010-11-03