EXCHANGE SUPPLIES LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
04549601 · ltd · incorporated 2002-10-01
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 Dec 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 46460
Sector: Wholesale & retail
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
- 86900Other human health activities
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 64-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 64). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 4 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 23.4y
15/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 23.4 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (79/100)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
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
5 officers (1 active, 5 linked, 2 with DOB)
78
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
93 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
82/100Exceptional
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
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 · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-12-31 | 2024-12-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 4400 | 4000 |
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
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (34 events)Click to expand
- 2026-04-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-10-29📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-10-29📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-10-29📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2025-06-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-08-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-08-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-07-25📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-07-22🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Ncsct Community Interest Company
- 2021-09-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-05-13📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2021-05-13🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Handelsbanken PLC
- 2020-12-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2020-11-24📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2020-11-18📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2020-11-13📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2020-10-05📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2019-10-04📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2019-10-04📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2014-10-29🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2010-04-13🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2010-03-31🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Co-Operative Bank PLC
- 2009-03-17➖PRESTON, Andrew James resignedsecretary
- 2009-03-17➖PRESTON, Deborah Ann resigneddirector
- 2003-02-17🔒Charge registered #1Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2002-10-01🏢Company incorporatedAs EXCHANGE SUPPLIES LIMITED
- 2002-10-01➕PRESTON, Andrew James appointeddirector
- 2002-10-01➕HARRISON, Irene Lesley appointednominee-secretary
- 2002-10-01➖HARRISON, Irene Lesley resignednominee-secretary
- 2002-10-01➕PRESTON, Andrew James appointedsecretary
- 2002-10-01➕PRESTON, Deborah Ann appointeddirector
- 2002-10-01➕BUSINESS INFORMATION RESEARCH & REPORTING LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2002-10-01➖BUSINESS INFORMATION RESEARCH & REPORTING LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-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 24 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 64 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
95/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 64. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- 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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Andrew James Preston Individual · British · DOB 05/1962 · age 64 | 50–75% | 50–75% | board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
Deborah Ann Preston Individual · British · DOB 08/1960 · age 66 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 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 · Wholesale & distribution · DT postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIT THIRSTY LTD→ 15707844 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| CHEEKY MONKEYS CASH4CLOTHES LTD→ 11229513 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| CJB AGENCIES LIMITED→ 08185858 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| CORE SUPPLIES LTD→ 11716557 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| DOMETIC UK LIMITED→ 04190363 · est 2001 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 25y | — | — |
| DRAFTTOGO LTD→ 12570121 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ESE LIGHTING DIRECT LIMITED→ 11439736 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| EYE FO LIMITED→ 03656221 · est 1998 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 27y | — | — |
| F2 CONNECT LTD→ 16947620 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| FAIRVIEW ELECTRONICS LTD→ 04144188 · est 2001 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 25y | — | — |
| FIND & FIT LIMITED→ 16460296 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| FIRE ESSENTIALS LTD→ 11291167 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2002-10-01
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC46460 — SIC 46460
Registered office
1 Great Western Industrial Centre
Dorchester
Dorset
DT1 1RD
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-09-30
Last made up to: 2025-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-10-10
Last: 2025-09-26
Officers (1 active · 4 resigned)
PRESTON, Andrew James→
Activedirector · ~64y · appointed 2002-10-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HARRISON, Irene Lesley→
Resignednominee-secretary · appointed 2002-10-01 · resigned 2002-10-01
PRESTON, Andrew James→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2002-10-01 · resigned 2009-03-17
PRESTON, Deborah Ann→
Resigneddirector · ~66y · appointed 2002-10-01 · resigned 2009-03-17
BUSINESS INFORMATION RESEARCH & REPORTING LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2002-10-01 · resigned 2002-10-01
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
4
Total charges
2
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Ncsct Community Interest Company | A registered charge | 3 properties | 22/07/2022 | — | |
| outstanding | Handelsbanken Handelsbanken PLC | A registered charge | — | 13/05/2021 | — | |
| satisfied | Co-operative Bank Co-Operative Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 31/03/2010 | 29/10/2014 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 17/02/2003 | 13/04/2010 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (93 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-04-30
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-10-29
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-10-29
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-10-29
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-09-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-06-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-10-09
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-08-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-11-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-08-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-11-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-10-03
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2022-07-25
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-10-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-09-14