ATUKA LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
04322675 · ltd · incorporated 2001-11-14
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 Nov 2024
Net worth
£825.6k
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Other research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
PursueAsset-holding vehicle with a 60-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 60). 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 (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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
5 officers (1 active, 5 linked, 2 with DOB)
78
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
74 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
80/100Exceptional
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £825,581
Cash YoY
+7455%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£60k
↑ 7455% YoY
Net Worth
£826k
↑ 7.5% YoY
Current Assets
£60k
↑ 7455% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2024-11-30 | 2023-11-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £838.6k | £781.6k |
| Current assets | £59.9k | £793 |
| Cash | £59.9k | £793 |
| Net assets | £825.6k | £768.0k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
3 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
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (29 events)Click to expand
- 2025-11-11📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2025-11-11📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-08-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-08-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-05-15📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2024-05-14📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2024-05-14📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-10-26📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-08-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-07-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2021-08-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-11-18📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2020-11-18📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2020-10-02📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2020-09-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-08-26➖LAYTONS SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-secretary
- 2020-08-26📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2020-08-26📄elect-to-keep-the-secretaries-register-information-on-the-public-registerofficers · EH03
- 2020-03-16📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2020-02-27📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2011-10-12➖FOX, Susan Helen, Dr resigneddirector
- 2008-10-20➖DIALMODE SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-secretary
- 2008-10-20➕LAYTONS SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2003-01-10➕BROTCHIE, Jonathan, Dr appointeddirector
- 2003-01-10➕FOX, Susan Helen, Dr appointeddirector
- 2003-01-10➖SUNLIGHT HOUSE NOMINEES LIMITED resignedcorporate-director
- 2001-11-14🏢Company incorporatedAs ATUKA LIMITED
- 2001-11-14➕DIALMODE SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2001-11-14➕SUNLIGHT HOUSE NOMINEES LIMITED appointedcorporate-director
Owner dependency
93/100
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 23 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 60 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
85/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 60. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 23 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 25 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.)
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Dr Jonathan Brotchie Individual · British · DOB 05/1966 · age 60 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% 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 · Professional services · CA postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARMSTRONG ENGINEERING SERVICES LIMITED→ 13365661 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| ARNISON & COMPANY SOLICITORS LIMITED→ 05132590 · est 2004 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | — | — |
| ASAP ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES LTD→ 04549790 · est 2002 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 23y | — | — |
| ASH BENNETT ECOLOGY LTD→ 07536130 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 15y | — | — |
| ASHWOOD DESIGN ASSOCIATES LIMITED→ 06512119 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| ASTUTE COMMISSIONING LTD→ 14958448 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| AT ACCOUNTANCY (CUMBRIA) LIMITED→ 16425650 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ATKINSON INSPECTION & TESTING LTD→ 15609689 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ATKINSON RITSON SOLICITORS LIMITED→ 07686162 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| ATRIUM ELECTRICAL LTD→ 17001377 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ATWOOD SCOTT LIMITED→ 15029381 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| AURORA MARINE ENGINEERING LTD→ 13451736 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2001-11-14
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC72190 — Other research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering
Registered office
2 Europe Way
Cockermouth
Cumbria
CA13 0RJ
United Kingdom
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-08-31
Last made up to: 2024-11-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-15
Last: 2025-11-01
Officers (1 active · 4 resigned)
BROTCHIE, Jonathan, Dr→
Activedirector · ~60y · appointed 2003-01-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
DIALMODE SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-secretary · appointed 2001-11-14 · resigned 2008-10-20
LAYTONS SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-secretary · appointed 2008-10-20 · resigned 2020-08-26
FOX, Susan Helen, Dr→
Resigneddirector · ~62y · appointed 2003-01-10 · resigned 2011-10-12
SUNLIGHT HOUSE NOMINEES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-director · appointed 2001-11-14 · resigned 2003-01-10
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (74 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-11-12
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-11-11
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-11-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-08-18
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-11-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-08-30
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2024-05-15
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2024-05-14
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2024-05-14
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-11-07
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-10-26
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-08-25
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-11-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2022-07-22
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-11-01