ADAPTACAR LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
04571838 · ltd · incorporated 2002-10-24
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
79/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 33170
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 63-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (80/100, director aged 63). 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

3 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 16.0y

35/100
too messy

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 16.0 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 (77/100)

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
8 officers (3 active, 8 linked, 5 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
74 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.

Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
£0£0£0£0£0£0Oct 2023Oct 2024

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2024-10-312023-10-31
Average employees11001100

Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.

🔒Filing-note intelligence

5 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 (35 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-07-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-01-14
    ➖
    CHAPPLE, Darren Anthony resigned
    director
  3. 2025-01-14
    ➖
    CHAPPLE, Lisa Jane resigned
    director
  4. 2025-01-14
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  5. 2025-01-14
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  6. 2024-05-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2023-07-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2022-07-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2021-07-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2021-04-18
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  11. 2021-04-18
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  12. 2021-04-01
    ➕
    CHAPPLE, Darren Anthony appointed
    director
  13. 2021-04-01
    ➕
    CHAPPLE, Lisa Jane appointed
    director
  14. 2020-10-20
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2019-06-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  16. 2018-11-26
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  17. 2018-11-26
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  18. 2018-10-10
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  19. 2018-09-28
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  20. 2018-06-01
    ➖
    FAIRALL, Jason Derek resigned
    director
  21. 2018-06-01
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  22. 2018-02-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  23. 2017-11-11
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  24. 2017-11-11
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  25. 2016-03-09
    ➕
    FAIRALL, Jason Derek appointed
    director
  26. 2012-03-20
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
  27. 2010-05-12
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Lloyds Tsb Commercial Finance Limited
  28. 2002-10-24
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As ADAPTACAR LIMITED
  29. 2002-10-24
    ➕
    COURTNEY, Lorna appointed
    secretary
  30. 2002-10-24
    ➕
    COURTNEY, Lorna appointed
    director
  31. 2002-10-24
    ➕
    COURTNEY, Stuart Brian appointed
    director
  32. 2002-10-24
    ➕
    TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  33. 2002-10-24
    ➖
    TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  34. 2002-10-24
    ➕
    COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director
  35. 2002-10-24
    ➖
    COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

84/100
Critical — business is the founder

The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.

FACTORS
  • +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 24 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 63 — approaching natural succession window.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

86/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 63. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • 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.

Shareholders & ownership

2 active beneficial owners
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Lorna Courtney
Individual · British · DOB 09/1963 · age 63
25–50%
25–50%25-50% shares · 25-50% voting06/04/2016
Stuart Brian Courtney
Individual · British · DOB 05/1963 · age 63
25–50%
25–50%25-50% shares · 25-50% voting06/04/2016

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions

6 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
Incorporated2002-10-24
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC33170 — SIC 33170

Registered office

Pathfields Business Park
South Molton
Devon
EX36 3LH

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-07-31
Last made up to: 2024-10-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-07
Last: 2025-10-24

Officers (3 active · 5 resigned)

COURTNEY, Lorna→
secretary · appointed 2002-10-24
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
COURTNEY, Lorna→
director · ~63y · appointed 2002-10-24
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
COURTNEY, Stuart Brian→
director · ~63y · appointed 2002-10-24
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
TEMPLE SECRETARIES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2002-10-24 · resigned 2002-10-24
Resigned
CHAPPLE, Darren Anthony→
director · ~42y · appointed 2021-04-01 · resigned 2025-01-14
Resigned
CHAPPLE, Lisa Jane→
director · ~41y · appointed 2021-04-01 · resigned 2025-01-14
Resigned
FAIRALL, Jason Derek→
director · ~55y · appointed 2016-03-09 · resigned 2018-06-01
Resigned
COMPANY DIRECTORS LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 2002-10-24 · resigned 2002-10-24
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

3
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
A registered charge—28/09/2018—
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
Debenture1 property20/03/201226/11/2018
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Tsb Commercial Finance Limited
All assets debenture1 property12/05/201011/11/2017
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (74 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-11-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-07-29
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-01-14
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-01-14
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-11-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-05-31
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-11-09
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-07-24
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-11-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-07-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-11-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-07-28
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2021-04-18
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2021-04-18
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-10-27