ALCHEMY SYSTEMS (WESTERN) LTD
💤Zombieactive
03788401 · ltd · incorporated 1999-06-11
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
78/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Information technology consultancy activities
Sector: Information & communication
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 78/100 (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 (73/100).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (76/100)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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
8 officers (2 active, 8 linked, 4 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
88 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
78/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
70
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
90
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 · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 1000 | 1000 |
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
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 90 days
3
filings
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 miscellaneous
- • 1 officers
Last 180 days
4
filings
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 miscellaneous
- • 1 officers
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (31 events)Click to expand
- 2026-06-05📄legacymiscellaneous · RP01PSC01
- 2026-06-04📄replacement-filing-of-director-appointment-with-nameofficers · RP01AP01
- 2026-03-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-02-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-03-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-03-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-03-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-03-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-09-23➖ROBINSON, Tony Charles resigneddirector
- 2020-09-23📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2019-12-02📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2019-10-17📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2019-10-17📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2019-10-17📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2019-10-17📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2019-10-17📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2019-10-17📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2019-10-07➕BURNETT, Valerie appointedsecretary
- 2019-10-07➕PHILLIPS, Timothy William appointeddirector
- 2019-10-07➖FIELD, Maureen Helen resignedsecretary
- 2019-10-07➖FIELD, Nigel Clive resigneddirector
- 2017-04-06➕ROBINSON, Tony Charles appointeddirector
- 2006-05-31➖HAMMOND, Michael James resigneddirector
- 2000-08-01➕HAMMOND, Michael James appointeddirector
- 1999-06-11🏢Company incorporatedAs ALCHEMY SYSTEMS (WESTERN) LTD
- 1999-06-11➕FIELD, Maureen Helen appointedsecretary
- 1999-06-11➕FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1999-06-11➖FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1999-06-11➕FIELD, Nigel Clive appointeddirector
- 1999-06-11➕FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1999-06-11➖FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
83/100
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.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
65/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 59. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 27 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Valerie Burnett Individual · British · DOB 11/1961 · age 65 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 07/10/2019 |
Timothy William Phillips Individual · British · DOB 10/1967 · age 59 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 07/10/2019 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Maureen Helen Fieldceased 07/10/2019· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
- Mr Nigel Clive Fieldceased 07/10/2019· 50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Technology · EX postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AKUMEN LTD→ 05196079 · est 2004 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | — | — |
| AMETHYST DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED→ 02924079 · est 1994 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 31y | — | — |
| ANCILE LIMITED→ 13095914 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ANNA MARSHALL CONSULTANCY LTD→ 14605096 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ANTHEUS TELECOM LIMITED→ 05480084 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| AR WEB DESIGN LTD→ 12535131 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| ARCADIA SOFTIUM LTD→ 15785773 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ARETE SWT LTD→ 11191733 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ARKCORE CONSULTING LTD→ 16396977 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ARLA SYSTEMS LTD→ 10272259 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| ARM CONSULTING (SOUTH WEST) LTD→ 12812503 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ARTBORED LTD→ 17105106 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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
Incorporated1999-06-11
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC62020 — Information technology consultancy activities
Registered office
7 Montpelier Terrace
Ilfracombe
Devon
EX34 9HR
United Kingdom
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-22
Last: 2026-01-08
Officers (2 active · 6 resigned)
Active
PHILLIPS, Timothy William→
Activedirector · ~59y · appointed 2019-10-07
View their other companies + combined net worth →
FIELD, Maureen Helen→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1999-06-11 · resigned 2019-10-07
FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1999-06-11 · resigned 1999-06-11
FIELD, Nigel Clive→
Resigneddirector · ~68y · appointed 1999-06-11 · resigned 2019-10-07
HAMMOND, Michael James→
Resigneddirector · ~60y · appointed 2000-08-01 · resigned 2006-05-31
ROBINSON, Tony Charles→
Resigneddirector · ~50y · appointed 2017-04-06 · resigned 2020-09-23
FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1999-06-11 · resigned 1999-06-11
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (88 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-06-19
legacy
miscellaneous · RP01PSC01
2026-06-05
replacement-filing-of-director-appointment-with-name
officers · RP01AP01
2026-06-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-03-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-02-05
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-08
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-07-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-03-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-07-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-03-30
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-07-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-03-29
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-08-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-03-25
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-02-18