ESSEX OILS LIMITED
- 5151SIC 5151
Opportunity 63/100 (worth a look), bankability 70/100. Strong seller-intent signal (78/100, director aged 77). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. 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 (65/100).
Data confidence
Overall: low (51/100)Sparse data coverage. Treat AI-generated outputs as preliminary. Manual diligence essential.
Mixed signal. Worth opening the full target workup before deciding to pursue.
Recent activity
Corporate timeline (40 events)Click to expand
- 2010-02-16📄gazette-dissolved-compulsorygazette · GAZ2
- 2010-02-16🏁Company dissolved
- 2009-11-03📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2009-04-24📄legacyannual-return · 363a
- 2008-07-28📄accounts-with-made-up-dateaccounts · AA
- 2008-07-23➕DONALD, Angus Bell appointedsecretary
- 2008-07-21📄legacyofficers · 288b
- 2008-07-14➖MANNING, Alan Clive resignedsecretary
- 2008-03-03📄legacyannual-return · 363a
- 2008-03-03📄legacyofficers · 288c
- 2007-04-03📄accounts-with-made-up-dateaccounts · AA
- 2007-03-08📄legacyannual-return · 363a
- 2006-03-31📄legacyofficers · 288a
- 2006-03-31📄legacyannual-return · 363a
- 2006-03-31📄legacyofficers · 288b
- 2006-03-16📄accounts-with-made-up-dateaccounts · AA
- 2006-03-01➖DONALD, Angus Bell resignedsecretary
- 2006-03-01➕MANNING, Alan Clive appointedsecretary
- 2005-09-13📄legacyannual-return · 363a
- 2005-08-08📄accounts-with-made-up-dateaccounts · AA
- 2004-07-19📄accounts-with-made-up-dateaccounts · AA
- 2004-03-26📄legacyannual-return · 363s
- 2004-03-11📄legacyannual-return · 363s
- 2003-08-06📄accounts-with-made-up-dateaccounts · AA
- 2003-03-04📄legacyannual-return · 363s
- 2003-03-04📄legacyannual-return · 363(288)
- 2002-06-18📄accounts-with-made-up-dateaccounts · AA
- 2002-03-01📄legacyannual-return · 363s
- 2001-09-20📄legacyaccounts · 225
- 2001-04-06📄legacyannual-return · 363s
- 2000-07-01➖USHERWOOD, Alan Edward resigneddirector
- 1999-07-30➕DONALD, Angus Bell appointeddirector
- 1999-07-30➕USHERWOOD, Alan Edward appointeddirector
- 1999-03-16➕DONALD, Neil Scott appointeddirector
- 1999-03-16➕DONALD, Angus Bell appointedsecretary
- 1999-03-16➖WATERLOW SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1999-03-16➖WATERLOW NOMINEES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1999-02-25🏢Company incorporatedAs ESSEX OILS LIMITED
- 1999-02-25➕WATERLOW SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1999-02-25➕WATERLOW NOMINEES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 27 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 77 — succession pressure is live.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 77 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 27 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 27 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 high ·Company has been dissolved — it no longer legally exists. Any diligence here is historical only.
Evidence: Dissolved on 2010-02-16
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 · Transport & logistics · RH postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-WHEELS EXPRESS DELIVERY LTD→ 11463223 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| A & C EXHIBITIONS LTD→ 03266624 · est 1996 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 29y | — | — |
| A21 EXECUTIVE LTD→ 16931967 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AA QUALITY SHIPPING LTD→ 14100639 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ABILIS INTERNATIONAL MOVERS & SHIPPERS LTD→ 09981459 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| AC CARS GATWICK LIMITED→ 14786644 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ACE PARKING LIMITED→ 14026000 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| ACORN CARS GATWICK LTD→ 15811774 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ACTIVE CAB LTD→ 13333189 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ADA EXPEDITE LTD→ 16553632 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ADENOVA LTD→ 17012131 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ADMIRARI SHIPPING SOLUTIONS LIMITED→ 16452281 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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 →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 (0 active · 5 resigned)
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