AIR CONTROL ENGINEERS LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
05995536 · ltd · incorporated 2006-11-10
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
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
- · Oldest live charge 12.5y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Nov 2024
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Other business support service activities n.e.c.
Sector: Administrative & support services
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)Distressed active trading company — structural issues outweigh the discount.
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 60). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Resolve: 1 insolvency-related filing on record. Filings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 12.5y
85/100
ready
Refinance conversation should be productive — structure clean and timing right.
- · Oldest live charge is 12.5 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Legal-friction score 15/100 — clean.
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
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
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
4 officers (3 active, 4 linked, 2 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
5 connected companies via shared directors
60
Filing history
62 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
85
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
67
Some moderate concerns — review 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 | 2024-11-30 | 2023-11-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 300 | 300 |
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
0
filings
Last 90 days
4
filings
- • 2 capital
- • 1 insolvency
- • 1 resolution
Last 180 days
4
filings
- • 2 capital
- • 1 insolvency
- • 1 resolution
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (24 events)Click to expand
- 2026-05-15📄capital-statement-capital-company-with-date-currency-figurecapital · SH19
- 2026-05-15📄legacycapital · SH20
- 2026-05-15⚠️legacyinsolvency · CAP-SS
- 2026-05-15📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2025-06-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-03-04📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-03-03📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2024-05-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-05-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-06-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-04-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-04-10📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2019-04-09📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2019-04-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-11-08📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2018-11-08📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2014-01-24🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Ridge Trading Services Limited
- 2008-01-31➕HARE, Stephen John appointeddirector
- 2006-11-10🏢Company incorporatedAs AIR CONTROL ENGINEERS LIMITED
- 2006-11-10➕OAKLEY SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2006-11-10➕HATFIELD, Mark Andrew appointeddirector
- 2006-11-10➕OAKLEY COMPANY FORMATION SERVICES LIMITED appointedcorporate-director
- 2006-11-10➖OAKLEY COMPANY FORMATION SERVICES LIMITED resignedcorporate-director
Owner dependency
76/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
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 20 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 60 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
69/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 60. Early succession window.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 20 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 20 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 high ·1 insolvency-related filing on record
highFilings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.
Evidence: 2026-05-15: legacy
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Stephen John Hare Individual · British · DOB 07/1966 · age 60 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 06/04/2016 |
Mr Mark Andrew Hatfield Individual · British · DOB 11/1966 · age 60 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 06/04/2016 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr Mark Andrew Hatfieldceased 09/11/2017· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
- Mr Stephen John Hareceased 09/11/2017· 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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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIDA ALINA LTD→ 16506491 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AIRWAVES CONTRACTED SOLUTIONS LIMITED→ 16933800 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AKIN CONTRACT LTD→ 16661437 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AKUMA TEX LTD→ 05472307 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| ALAM B GROUP LTD→ 17128911 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ALEN BARBERS LTD→ 12761821 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ALIGN WITH LYNDSEY CONSULTING LTD→ 15594245 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ALIGNED EVENTS LTD→ 11702732 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| ALIGNED PEOPLE TECHNOLOGY LTD→ 16950415 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ALIGNMENT FOR ALL LTD→ 14058325 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ALINMES LTD→ 10373283 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| ALIS TRAINING CONSULTANCY LIMITED→ 13289334 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2006-11-10
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC82990 — Other business support service activities n.e.c.
Registered office
119 Meeting House Lane
Balsall Common
Coventry
Warwickshire
CV7 7GD
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-08-31
Last made up to: 2024-11-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-18
Last: 2025-11-04
Officers (3 active · 1 resigned)
OAKLEY SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED→
Activecorporate-secretary · appointed 2006-11-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HARE, Stephen John→
Activedirector · ~60y · appointed 2008-01-31
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HATFIELD, Mark Andrew→
Activedirector · ~60y · appointed 2006-11-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
OAKLEY COMPANY FORMATION SERVICES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-director · appointed 2006-11-10 · resigned 2006-11-10
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
1
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Ridge Trading Services Ridge Trading Services Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 24/01/2014 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (62 total)
capital-statement-capital-company-with-date-currency-figure
capital · SH19
2026-05-15
legacy
capital · SH20
2026-05-15
legacy
insolvency · CAP-SS
2026-05-15
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2026-05-15
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-11-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-06-19
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-03-04
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-03-03
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-11-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-05-13
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-11-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-06-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-11-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-05-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-11-04