AUTOMET LIMITED

🌳Matureactive

04448557 · ltd · incorporated 2002-05-28

Investment thesis

Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.

Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.

Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.

🔒Estimated value

—

Upgrade to see

Turnover

—

year to Oct 2024

Net worth

—

book net assets

Opportunity

80/100

Exceptional

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What this business does

Primary activity: SIC 24420

Sector: Manufacturing

ALSO REGISTERED FOR

82990Other business support service activities n.e.c.

Investor take

Pursue

Active trading company. Family succession underway — not a classic acquisition target.

Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 67/100. Same-surname younger director in place — likely family handover, not open to sale. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

4 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 23.2y

35/100

too messy

Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.

· Oldest live charge is 23.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
· 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
· Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (72/100)

Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.

Company profile

address, 2 SIC codes, incorporation date

100

Financials

1 year of iXBRL accounts extracted (no YoY comparison) + narrative notes parsed

Lenders & charges

4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)

Directors & officers

12 officers (8 active, 12 linked, 10 with DOB)

Ownership & PSC

1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared

Director network

2 connected companies via shared directors

Filing history

130 filings on record

Gazette notices

No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)

Opportunity Score

80/100Exceptional

PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional

Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.

Business quality

Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.

Acquirability

Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.

Risk profile

Few red flags.

Signal strength

100

Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accounts

Cash

—

Net Worth

—

Current Assets

—

Current Liabilities

—

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102

Metric	2024-10-30
Average employees	2000

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

filings

• 3 officers
• 3 persons-with-significant-control
• 1 confirmation-statement

Last 90 days

filings

• 3 officers
• 3 persons-with-significant-control
• 1 confirmation-statement

Last 180 days

filings

• 3 officers
• 3 persons-with-significant-control
• 3 capital

Counts from Companies House filing history.

Corporate timeline (47 events)Click to expand

2026-07-08
📄
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2026-07-08
📄
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2026-07-08
📄
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2026-07-08
📄
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2026-07-08
📄
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2026-06-25
📄
replacement-filing-of-director-appointment-with-name
officers · RP01AP01
2026-02-04
📄
capital-alter-shares-subdivision
capital · SH02
2026-02-04
📄
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2026-02-04
📄
capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-shares
capital · SH10
2026-02-04
📄
capital-name-of-class-of-shares
capital · SH08
2026-02-04
📄
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2025-07-28
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-04-09
📄
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-04-08
📄
change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
officers · CH03
2025-04-08
📄
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-04-08
📄
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-04-08
📄
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-04-08
📄
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-04-08
📄
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-04-08
📄
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-04-08
📄
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-04-08
📄
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-04-02
📍
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2023-08-01
🔓
Charge satisfied #2
2023-07-07
🔓
Charge satisfied #3
2023-06-29
🔓
Charge satisfied #1
2023-02-13
➕
GILES, Liam John appointed
director
2023-02-13
➕
HUMPHRIES, Samuel Derek appointed
director
2023-02-13
➕
HUMPHRIES, William Steven appointed
director
2023-02-13
➕
HUMPHRIES, Samuel Derek appointed
director
2023-02-13
➖
HUMPHRIES, Samuel Derek resigned
director
2019-10-31
🔒
Charge registered #4
Lender: Santander UK PLC as Security Trustee
2018-11-23
➕
HUMPHRIES, Amanda Caroline appointed
director
2015-10-16
➖
HUMPHRIES, Gregory Paul resigned
director
2014-01-06
➕
HUMPHRIES, Christopher Paul appointed
director
2014-01-06
➕
HUMPHRIES, Gregory Paul appointed
director
2011-11-26
➖
HUMPHRIES, Gregory Paul resigned
director
2011-09-20
➕
HUMPHRIES, Anne Beatrice appointed
director
2008-11-01
➕
HUMPHRIES, Gregory Paul appointed
director
2007-07-23
🔒
Charge registered #3
Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
2004-11-15
🔒
Charge registered #2
Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland Commercial Services Limited
2003-05-21
🔒
Charge registered #1
Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
2002-05-28
🏢
Company incorporated
As AUTOMET LIMITED
2002-05-28
➕
HUMPHRIES, Anne Beatrice appointed
secretary
2002-05-28
➕
HUMPHRIES, Paul appointed
director
2002-05-28
➕
DCS CORPORATE SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
corporate-secretary
2002-05-28
➖
DCS CORPORATE SECRETARIES LIMITED resigned
corporate-secretary

Owner dependency

73/100

High — earn-out structure required

Material founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.

FACTORS

-7 active directors: Broader management team in place — suggests transferable governance.
+Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 24 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
+Founder age: Director aged approximately 73 — succession pressure is live.
+Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

50/100

Moderate signal

Some succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.

SIGNALS

primaryFamily succession underway: Not a takeover target — HUMPHRIES, Samuel Derek (same surname) appointed 2023-02-13. Pattern consistent with intra-family handover.
primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 73 years old. Natural succession window is now.
primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 24 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 24 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 med ·

Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern

medium

Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.

Group structure

Automet Properties Limited holds majority control (50-75%). Likely parent but not wholly-owned.

🏛️

Automet Properties Limited

Corporate parent · holds 50-75% shares · board control

majority

⬇

AUTOMET LIMITED

This company · 04448557

Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner

Name	Shares	Voting rights	Nature of control	Notified
Automet Properties Limited Corporate entity	50–75%	50–75%	board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control	24/01/2026

2 historic (ceased) PSCs

Mr Paul Humphriesceased 24/01/2026· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
Mrs Anne Beatrice Humphriesceased 24/01/2026· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting

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

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AGRITEC INTERNATIONAL LTD→ 04671688 · est 2003 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	23y	—	—
ALLTEX LIMITED→ 02912886 · est 1994 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	32y	—	—
AP CARAVAN SERVICES LIMITED→ 07985686 · est 2012 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	14y	—	—
AQUAJET MACHINING SYSTEMS LIMITED→ 03125420 · est 1995 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	30y	—	—
AUTOMOTIVE 1 LTD→ 15803034 · est 2024 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	1y	—	—
AVCO AUDIO VISUAL LIMITED→ 06909405 · est 2009 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	16y	—	—
AWL ENGINEERING LIMITED→ 05045073 · est 2004 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	22y	—	—
AX COMPOSITES LTD→ 16257427 · est 2025 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	1y	—	—
B HOLMAN LTD→ 15857551 · est 2024 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	1y	—	—
B3 INDUSTRIES LTD→ 16835346 · est 2025 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
BAILPRINT LABELS LTD→ 04240574 · est 2001 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	24y	—	—
BANKS COMMERCIALS LIMITED→ 14815293 · est 2023 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	2y	—	—

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

Incorporated2002-05-28

Jurisdictionengland-wales

Primary SIC24420 — SIC 24420

Registered office

9 Winckley Square

Preston

PR1 3HP

United Kingdom

Filing status

Accounts

Next due: 2026-07-30

Last made up to: 2024-10-30

Confirmation statement

Next due: 2027-06-11

Last: 2026-05-28