ANDY THORNTON LIMITED

🌳Matureactive

05566738 · ltd · incorporated 2005-09-19

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

—

year to May 2025

Net worth

—

book net assets

Opportunity

79/100

Strong

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What this business does

Primary activity: Manufacture of metal structures and parts of structures

Sector: Manufacturing

ALSO REGISTERED FOR

47599Retail sale of furniture, lighting, and similar (not musical instruments or scores) in specialised stores
47791SIC 47791

Investor take

Pursue

Active trading company with a 69-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 77/100. Strong seller-intent signal (93/100, director aged 69). 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

7 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 20.6y

35/100

too messy

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

· Oldest live charge is 20.6 years old — likely at or near maturity.
· 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
· Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (73/100)

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

Company profile

address, 3 SIC codes, incorporation date

100

Financials

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

Lenders & charges

7 charges (7/7 with lender, 7/7 with type)

Directors & officers

8 officers (2 active, 8 linked, 7 with DOB)

Ownership & PSC

1 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared

Director network

3 connected companies via shared directors

Filing history

121 filings on record

Gazette notices

No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)

Opportunity Score

79/100Strong

PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional

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

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	2025-05-31
Average employees	53

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

🔒Filing-note intelligence

1 signal 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

• 1 accounts
• 1 confirmation-statement

Last 90 days

filings

• 1 accounts
• 1 confirmation-statement

Last 180 days

filings

• 1 accounts
• 1 confirmation-statement

Counts from Companies House filing history.

Corporate timeline (48 events)Click to expand

2026-05-29
📄
change-account-reference-date-company-current-extended
accounts · AA01
2025-11-24
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2024-09-02
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2024-02-27
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2023-03-29
📄
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-03-29
🔓
Charge satisfied #7
2023-02-22
📄
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-02-22
📄
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-02-22
📄
mortgage-charge-whole-release-with-charge-number
mortgage · MR05
2023-02-22
🔓
Charge satisfied #5
2023-02-22
🔓
Charge satisfied #1
2023-02-06
📄
mortgage-charge-whole-release-with-charge-number
mortgage · MR05
2023-02-06
📄
mortgage-charge-whole-release-with-charge-number
mortgage · MR05
2022-11-30
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2022-06-21
📄
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2022-06-21
📄
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2022-06-21
🔓
Charge satisfied #4
2022-06-21
🔓
Charge satisfied #3
2022-03-29
➖
WALKER, Keith resigned
director
2022-03-29
📄
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-03-17
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2022-02-01
📄
change-account-reference-date-company-current-shortened
accounts · AA01
2022-01-24
📄
change-account-reference-date-company-current-shortened
accounts · AA01
2021-02-10
📄
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2021-02-10
📄
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2021-02-09
➖
PENFORD, Jonathan resigned
secretary
2021-02-09
➖
PENFORD, Jonathan resigned
director
2015-07-25
🔓
Charge satisfied #6
2015-02-05
🔓
Charge satisfied #2
2013-07-18
🔒
Charge registered #7
Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
2012-07-27
🔒
Charge registered #6
Lender: Andrew Thornton
2012-06-13
🔒
Charge registered #5
Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
2012-05-24
🔒
Charge registered #4
Lender: Hsbc Invoice Finance (UK) LTD ("the Security Holder")
2012-05-24
🔒
Charge registered #3
Lender: Hsbc Invoice Finance (UK) LTD ("the Security Holder")
2012-01-06
➖
WOODS, Richard Thomas resigned
director
2012-01-06
🔒
Charge registered #2
Lender: Bw Sipp Trustees Limited
2011-09-30
➖
SIDDALL, Peter Antony resigned
director
2011-04-06
➕
WALKER, Keith appointed
director
2011-04-06
➕
WOODS, Richard Thomas appointed
director
2011-04-01
➖
WILCOCK, Christopher John resigned
director
2005-11-04
➕
HASTIE, David Cunningham appointed
director
2005-11-04
➕
PENFORD, Jonathan appointed
director
2005-11-04
➕
WILCOCK, Christopher John appointed
director
2005-11-04
🔒
Charge registered #1
Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
2005-09-19
🏢
Company incorporated
As ANDY THORNTON LIMITED
2005-09-19
➕
TOLLEY, Charles Jonathan appointed
director
2005-09-19
➕
PENFORD, Jonathan appointed
secretary
2005-09-19
➕
SIDDALL, Peter Antony appointed
director

Owner dependency

83/100

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 21 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
+Founder age: Director aged approximately 69 — succession pressure is live.

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 69. 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 21 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 21 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

Andy Thornton (At) Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️

Andy Thornton (At) Limited

Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares

ultimate parent

⬇

ANDY THORNTON LIMITED

This company · 05566738

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

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%

Name	Shares	Voting rights	Nature of control	Notified
Andy Thornton (At) Limited Corporate entity	75–100%	75–100%	75-100% shares · 75-100% voting	09/02/2021

3 historic (ceased) PSCs

Mr David Cunningham Hastieceased 09/02/2021· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
Mr Jonathan Penfordceased 09/02/2021· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
Mr Charles Jonathan Tolleyceased 09/02/2021· 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

Active · Manufacturing · HX postcode area

Company	Est. value	Turnover	Net worth	Staff	Age	Opp	Director
A T GRAPHICS (WY) LTD→ 10153367 · est 2016 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	9y	—	—
A-SAFE HQ LTD→ 05407505 · est 2005 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	21y	—	—
A.Z.O. LIMITED→ 02828288 · est 1993 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	32y	—	—
ADORA BEDS LTD→ 11779950 · est 2019 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	7y	—	—
ADVANCE ENGINEERING (HX) LTD→ 04581228 · est 2002 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	23y	—	—
ALFRED A DUNHILL LIMITED→ 16291727 · est 2025 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	1y	—	—
ALLIANCE OFFICE SYSTEMS LIMITED→ 02887711 · est 1994 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	32y	—	—
ALZIN ENGINEERING LIMITED→ 01131977 · est 1973 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	52y	—	—
AMTEC ENGINEERING LIMITED→ 05022758 · est 2004 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	22y	—	—
ANDY THORNTON (AT) LIMITED→ 13090911 · est 2020 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	5y	—	—
AQUASPERSIONS LIMITED→ 01167065 · est 1974 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	52y	—	—
ARCHWAY ENGINEERING (U.K.) LIMITED→ 02600814 · est 1991 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	35y	—	—

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

Incorporated2005-09-19

Jurisdictionengland-wales

Primary SIC25110 — Manufacture of metal structures and parts of structures

Registered office

Rosemount

Huddersfield Road

Elland

West Yorkshire

HX5 0EE

Filing status

Accounts

Next due: 2027-03-31

Last made up to: 2025-05-31

Confirmation statement

Next due: 2027-05-30

Last: 2026-05-16

Officers (2 active · 6 resigned)

HASTIE, David Cunningham→

director · ~69y · appointed 2005-11-04

View their other companies + combined net worth →

Active

TOLLEY, Charles Jonathan→

director · ~63y · appointed 2005-09-19

View their other companies + combined net worth →

Active

PENFORD, Jonathan→

secretary · appointed 2005-09-19 · resigned 2021-02-09

Resigned

PENFORD, Jonathan→

director · ~72y · appointed 2005-11-04 · resigned 2021-02-09

Resigned

SIDDALL, Peter Antony→

director · ~79y · appointed 2005-09-19 · resigned 2011-09-30

Resigned

WALKER, Keith→

director · ~66y · appointed 2011-04-06 · resigned 2022-03-29

Resigned

WILCOCK, Christopher John→

director · ~79y · appointed 2005-11-04 · resigned 2011-04-01

Resigned

WOODS, Richard Thomas→

director · ~59y · appointed 2011-04-06 · resigned 2012-01-06

Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

Total charges

Outstanding

Active lenders

Status:Lender:7 of 7 shown

		Type	Properties
satisfied	HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC	A registered charge	1 property	18/07/2013	29/03/2023
satisfied	Andrew Thornton	Debenture	1 property	27/07/2012	25/07/2015
satisfied	HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC	Legal assignment of contract monies	1 property	13/06/2012	22/02/2023
satisfied	HSBC Hsbc Invoice Finance (UK) LTD ("the Security Holder")	Fixed charge on purchased debts which fail to vest	1 property	24/05/2012	21/06/2022
satisfied	HSBC Hsbc Invoice Finance (UK) LTD ("the Security Holder")	Floating charge (all assets)	1 property	24/05/2012	21/06/2022
satisfied	Bw Sipp Trustees Bw Sipp Trustees Limited	Debenture	1 property	06/01/2012	05/02/2015
satisfied	HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC	Debenture	1 property	04/11/2005	22/02/2023

Recent filings (121 total)

change-account-reference-date-company-current-extended

accounts · AA01

2026-05-29

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2026-05-18

accounts-with-accounts-type-small

accounts · AA

2025-11-24

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2025-05-29

accounts-with-accounts-type-full

accounts · AA

2024-09-02

confirmation-statement-with-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2024-05-22

accounts-with-accounts-type-full

accounts · AA

2024-02-27

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates

confirmation-statement · CS01

2023-05-30

mortgage-satisfy-charge-full

mortgage · MR04

2023-03-29

mortgage-satisfy-charge-full

mortgage · MR04

2023-02-22

mortgage-satisfy-charge-full

mortgage · MR04

2023-02-22

mortgage-charge-whole-release-with-charge-number

mortgage · MR05

2023-02-22

mortgage-charge-whole-release-with-charge-number

mortgage · MR05

2023-02-06

mortgage-charge-whole-release-with-charge-number

mortgage · MR05

2023-02-06

accounts-with-accounts-type-full

accounts · AA

2022-11-30