ACORN SIGNS & ENGRAVING LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
03723475 · ltd · incorporated 1999-03-01
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 Mar 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Other manufacturing n.e.c.
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. 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 (58/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
3 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 14.2y
30/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 14.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (78/100)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
3 charges (3/3 with lender, 3/3 with type)
90
Directors & officers
7 officers (1 active, 7 linked, 3 with DOB)
79
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
78 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
77/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
60
Some acquirability indicators.
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 | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 500 | 500 |
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
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (33 events)Click to expand
- 2025-07-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-08-22📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2024-08-22📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2024-07-11📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2024-07-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-06-28➖PLANT, Claire Elizabeth resignedsecretary
- 2023-06-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-07-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-08-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-10-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-07-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2017-06-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2016-07-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2016-04-13📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2016-04-13🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2016-03-20📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2012-08-30🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Rbs Invoive Finance Limited
- 2012-04-17🔒Charge registered #2Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2012-03-13🔒Charge registered #1Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2006-10-13➕PLANT, Andrew appointeddirector
- 2006-10-13➖DONALDSON, Elaine resignedsecretary
- 2006-10-13➕PLANT, Claire Elizabeth appointedsecretary
- 2006-10-13➖DONALDSON, Barry Edward resigneddirector
- 2006-10-13➖DONALDSON, Elaine resigneddirector
- 1999-03-01🏢Company incorporatedAs ACORN SIGNS & ENGRAVING LIMITED
- 1999-03-01➕DONALDSON, Elaine appointedsecretary
- 1999-03-01➕TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1999-03-01➖TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1999-03-01➕DONALDSON, Barry Edward appointeddirector
- 1999-03-01➕DONALDSON, Elaine appointeddirector
- 1999-03-01➕COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1999-03-01➖COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
85/100
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 20 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
Succession & seller-readiness
68/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 20 years.
- 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
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Group structure
Elabar Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Elabar Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares
⬇
ACORN SIGNS & ENGRAVING LIMITED
This company · 03723475
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Elabar Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 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 · NG postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A F SWITCHGEAR LIMITED→ 01179371 · est 1974 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 51y | — | — |
| A.H.GARNER LIMITED→ 00465648 · est 1949 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 77y | — | — |
| A.K. BRYAN MOULD ENGINEERS LIMITED→ 02807029 · est 1993 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 33y | — | — |
| A&J GRANITE SOLUTIONS LTD→ 06354094 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| AAFIYA SCENTS LTD→ 12413434 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| ABBEY INTERIORS HOME IMPROVEMENTS LTD→ 13251757 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ACCESS SERVICE AND REPAIR LIMITED→ 06658298 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| ACORN CONCEPTUAL TEXTILES LTD→ 05382506 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | — | — |
| ADAMS AGILITY EQUIPMENT LTD→ 17088499 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ADEPT (BPT) LIMITED→ 05159611 · est 2004 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | — | — |
| ADL JOINERY LTD→ 11868545 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| ADLARD PRINT & REPROGRAPHICS LIMITED→ 03600700 · est 1998 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 27y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
7 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
Incorporated1999-03-01
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC32990 — Other manufacturing n.e.c.
Registered office
Unit 12a & 14 Oakwood Road
Mansfield
Nottinghamshire
NG18 3HQ
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-02-03
Last: 2026-01-20
Officers (1 active · 6 resigned)
PLANT, Andrew→
Activedirector · ~51y · appointed 2006-10-13
View their other companies + combined net worth →
DONALDSON, Elaine→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1999-03-01 · resigned 2006-10-13
PLANT, Claire Elizabeth→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2006-10-13 · resigned 2024-06-28
TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1999-03-01 · resigned 1999-03-01
DONALDSON, Barry Edward→
Resigneddirector · ~76y · appointed 1999-03-01 · resigned 2006-10-13
DONALDSON, Elaine→
Resigneddirector · ~70y · appointed 1999-03-01 · resigned 2006-10-13
COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1999-03-01 · resigned 1999-03-01
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
3
Total charges
2
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | NatWest Group Rbs Invoive Finance Limited | All assets debenture | 1 property | 30/08/2012 | — | |
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 17/04/2012 | — | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 13/03/2012 | 13/04/2016 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (78 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-07-14
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-23
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2024-08-22
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2024-08-22
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2024-07-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-07-09
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-02-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-06-26
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-02-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-08-01
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-02-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2021-07-28
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-04-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2020-08-07