ZF AUTOMOTIVE HOLDINGS (UK) LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
04609841 · ltd · incorporated 2002-12-05
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Opportunity decay
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
  • · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
Upgrade to see
Turnover
not disclosed
Net worth
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Activities of head offices
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.

Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 77/100. Strong seller-intent signal (60/100, director aged 59). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 5 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

5 live charges · 5 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.
  • · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Legal-friction score 30/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (61/100)

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
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
5 charges (5/5 with lender, 5/5 with type)
90
Directors & officers
31 officers (3 active, 31 linked, 26 with DOB)
87
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
13 connected companies via shared directors
84
Filing history
165 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
77/100Strong
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
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Recent activity

Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
2
filings
  • 1 officers
  • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
3
filings
  • 2 officers
  • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (89 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-03-21
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  2. 2026-01-13
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  3. 2026-01-01
    MORRIS, Jacob Zachary appointed
    director
  4. 2025-12-31
    PANASER, Bal resigned
    director
  5. 2025-10-06
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2025-02-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2023-10-09
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2022-11-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2022-10-31
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  10. 2022-10-26
    PANASER, Bal appointed
    director
  11. 2022-10-18
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  12. 2022-10-14
    LAKIE, Peter Ross resigned
    director
  13. 2022-04-14
    MCQUEEN, Alastair Malcolm resigned
    director
  14. 2022-04-14
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  15. 2022-04-14
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  16. 2022-04-04
    BIRK, Arjan Singh appointed
    director
  17. 2021-11-23
    LAKIE, Peter Ross appointed
    director
  18. 2021-11-23
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  19. 2021-11-09
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  20. 2021-10-30
    BRAITHWAITE, Julia Anne resigned
    director
  21. 2021-10-20
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-audit-exemption-subsiduary
    accounts · AA
  22. 2021-10-20
    📄
    legacy
    other · GUARANTEE2
  23. 2021-10-01
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  24. 2021-09-28
    📄
    legacy
    accounts · PARENT_ACC
  25. 2021-09-28
    📄
    legacy
    other · AGREEMENT2
  26. 2021-01-06
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  27. 2020-12-31
    SHATTOCK, Daniel Edward resigned
    director
  28. 2020-12-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-audit-exemption-subsiduary
    accounts · AA
  29. 2020-02-10
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #5
  30. 2020-02-10
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #4
  31. 2020-02-10
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  32. 2020-02-10
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  33. 2020-02-10
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  34. 2019-12-31
    CHITTKA, Fritz resigned
    director
  35. 2019-12-31
    WAY, Michael John resigned
    director
  36. 2019-10-02
    PEGG, Jane resigned
    secretary
  37. 2018-05-22
    BRAITHWAITE, Julia Anne appointed
    director
  38. 2018-03-31
    JANKOWSKI, Mark William resigned
    director
  39. 2017-09-04
    MCQUEEN, Alastair Malcolm appointed
    director
  40. 2017-08-31
    FURBER, Martin Christopher resigned
    director
  41. 2016-09-30
    GWOZDZ, Maciej Dominik resigned
    director
  42. 2015-09-30
    JANKOWSKI, Mark William appointed
    director
  43. 2015-09-30
    RAPIN, Peter Richard resigned
    director
  44. 2015-06-30
    LECHNER, Reinhard resigned
    director
  45. 2015-05-14
    CHITTKA, Fritz appointed
    director
  46. 2015-05-14
    SHATTOCK, Daniel Edward appointed
    director
  47. 2015-01-01
    BATTERBEE, Stephen Mark appointed
    director
  48. 2015-01-01
    GWOZDZ, Maciej Dominik appointed
    director
  49. 2014-12-31
    BASSETT, Anthony resigned
    director
  50. 2014-11-07
    DEGEN, Michael Gunther resigned
    director
Showing most recent 50 of 89 events

Owner dependency

58/100
Moderate — manageable with handover

Some founder dependency, but not acute. A structured handover period should cover most risk.

FACTORS
  • +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — approaching natural succession window.

Succession & seller-readiness

45/100
Moderate signal

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

SIGNALS
  • secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 59. Early succession window.
  • 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

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Stadt Friedrichshafen
Individual
75100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control · trust interest06/04/2016

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 →

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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
Incorporated2002-12-05
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC70100 — Activities of head offices

Registered office

The Hub Central Boulevard
Shirley
Solihull
West Midlands
B90 8BG
United Kingdom

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-12-22
Last: 2025-12-08

Officers (3 active · 28 resigned)

BATTERBEE, Stephen Mark
director · ~59y · appointed 2015-01-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BIRK, Arjan Singh
director · ~59y · appointed 2022-04-04
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
MORRIS, Jacob Zachary
director · ~48y · appointed 2026-01-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
GREGG, Rhona
secretary · appointed 2003-03-11 · resigned 2004-05-13
Resigned
HALL, Melanie Jane
secretary · appointed 2004-11-10 · resigned 2008-10-31
Resigned
LAMBOURNE, Alan Robert
secretary · appointed 2004-05-13 · resigned 2004-11-10
Resigned
PEGG, Jane
secretary · appointed 2008-10-31 · resigned 2019-10-02
Resigned
CLIFFORD CHANCE SECRETARIES LIMITED
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2002-12-05 · resigned 2003-03-11
Resigned
ALMOND, Paul Martin
director · ~71y · appointed 2003-03-11 · resigned 2012-12-31
Resigned
ASTROF, Joshua Herbert
director · ~55y · appointed 2003-02-28 · resigned 2003-03-11
Resigned
BASSETT, Anthony
director · ~78y · appointed 2010-08-09 · resigned 2014-12-31
Resigned
BRAITHWAITE, Julia Anne
director · ~59y · appointed 2018-05-22 · resigned 2021-10-30
Resigned
CHITTKA, Fritz
director · ~67y · appointed 2015-05-14 · resigned 2019-12-31
Resigned
DEGEN, Michael Gunther
director · ~69y · appointed 2010-01-12 · resigned 2014-11-07
Resigned
ELMS, Barry Albert
director · ~73y · appointed 2007-12-07 · resigned 2010-08-09
Resigned
FURBER, Martin Christopher
director · ~64y · appointed 2010-08-09 · resigned 2017-08-31
Resigned
GWOZDZ, Maciej Dominik
director · ~51y · appointed 2015-01-01 · resigned 2016-09-30
Resigned
JANKOWSKI, Mark William
director · ~64y · appointed 2015-09-30 · resigned 2018-03-31
Resigned
KINDELAN, Hilary Annemarie
director · ~66y · appointed 2007-12-19 · resigned 2010-08-09
Resigned
LAKIE, Peter Ross
director · ~60y · appointed 2021-11-23 · resigned 2022-10-14
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

5
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:5 of 5 shown
TypeProperties
satisfied
Jpmorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as the Collateral Agent
Security agreement1 property27/02/201310/02/2020
satisfied
J P Morgan Chase Bank N a (As Collateral Agent)
Share pledge agreement1 property26/02/200910/02/2020
satisfied
J P Morgan Chase Bank N a (The Collateral Agent)
Security agreement1 property07/08/200710/02/2020
satisfied
Jp Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (As the Collateral Agent)
Security agreement1 property04/01/200510/02/2020
satisfied
Jp Morgan Chase Bank
Security agreement1 property28/02/200310/02/2020

Recent filings (165 total)

appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2026-03-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-19
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2026-01-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-10-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-02-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-12-17
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-12-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2023-10-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2022-11-25
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2022-10-31
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-10-18
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2022-04-14
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-04-14
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-13