AUTOFLO HAND WASH SYSTEMS LTD
💤Zombieactive
07056280 · ltd · incorporated 2009-10-24
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 2024
Net worth
£31.5k
book net assets
Opportunity
78/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Other manufacturing n.e.c.
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
PursueAsset-holding vehicle with a 67-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 78/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (60/100, director aged 67). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Broaden director team. Sole director creates succession risk and reduces buyer comfort. Appoint a second director or strong #2. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (78/100)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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
5 officers (1 active, 5 linked, 5 with DOB)
90
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
61 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
78/100Strong
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
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £31,478
Net assets shrinking
Down £2,786 YoY
Cash YoY
+120%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£23k
↑ 120% YoY
Net Worth
£31k
↓ 8.1% YoY
Current Assets
£67k
↑ 17% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2024-12-31 | 2023-12-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £31.5k | £34.3k |
| Current assets | £67.4k | £57.5k |
| Cash | £22.7k | £10.3k |
| Debtors | £18.4k | £24.0k |
| Net assets | £31.5k | £34.3k |
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
0
filings
Last 180 days
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (28 events)Click to expand
- 2025-12-16📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-08-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-06-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-03-15📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2024-03-15📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2024-03-15📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2024-03-15📄capital-name-of-class-of-sharescapital · SH08
- 2024-03-15📄capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-sharescapital · SH10
- 2024-03-11📄second-filing-of-director-appointment-with-nameofficers · RP04AP01
- 2023-09-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-09-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-10-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-10-25📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2019-10-24📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2019-10-09📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2019-10-09📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2019-10-09📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2019-09-27➕LEWIS, Debra appointeddirector
- 2019-09-27➖FARRANT, Virginia Lesley resigneddirector
- 2018-03-06➖FARRANT, Adrian Raymond resigneddirector
- 2016-07-28➕FARRANT, Virginia Lesley appointeddirector
- 2014-12-01➖GRANT, Brian Richard resigneddirector
- 2009-10-24🏢Company incorporatedAs AUTOFLO HAND WASH SYSTEMS LTD
- 2009-10-24➕FARRANT, Adrian Raymond appointeddirector
- 2009-10-24➕GRANT, Brian Richard appointeddirector
- 2009-10-24➕KAHAN, Barbara appointeddirector
- 2009-10-24➖KAHAN, Barbara resigneddirector
Owner dependency
90/100
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.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 67 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
75/100
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 67. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 17 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
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 Richard Philpot Individual · British · DOB 03/1955 · age 71 | 25–50% | — | 25-50% shares | 27/09/2019 |
Debra Lewis Individual · British · DOB 04/1959 · age 67 | 25–50% | — | 25-50% shares | 27/09/2019 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mrs Virginia Lesley Farrantceased 27/09/2019· 75-100% shares
- Mr Adrian Farrantceased 06/03/2018· 75-100% shares
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Manufacturing · WR postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AG SURFACE REPAIR SPECIALIST LTD→ 13905545 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| AIR SPECTRUM INTERNATIONAL LIMITED→ 10494291 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| ALLEN HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING LIMITED→ 04851418 · est 2003 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| ANGELA KERR DESIGNS LIMITED→ 13988226 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| ANIMATE DESIGN LIMITED→ 05537717 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| ARP FULFILMENT LTD→ 15962663 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ARTWORKS CLOTHING LTD→ 13631515 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| ATALANTA MOTOR CARS LIMITED→ 06882099 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| AUDIO DEFINITION LIMITED→ 05842241 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 19y | — | — |
| AUTO-SLEEPERS GROUP LIMITED→ 03978237 · est 2000 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 25y | — | — |
| AUTOMOTIVE ARTISANS LIMITED→ 16651499 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AUTOMOTIVE MARINE LTD→ 10469052 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
8 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
Incorporated2009-10-24
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC32990 — Other manufacturing n.e.c.
Registered office
Copeland Court Farm Woodmancote
Defford
Worcester
WR8 9BW
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-07
Last: 2025-10-24
Officers (1 active · 4 resigned)
LEWIS, Debra→
Activedirector · ~67y · appointed 2019-09-27
View their other companies + combined net worth →
FARRANT, Adrian Raymond→
Resigneddirector · ~73y · appointed 2009-10-24 · resigned 2018-03-06
FARRANT, Virginia Lesley→
Resigneddirector · ~70y · appointed 2016-07-28 · resigned 2019-09-27
GRANT, Brian Richard→
Resigneddirector · ~75y · appointed 2009-10-24 · resigned 2014-12-01
KAHAN, Barbara→
Resigneddirector · ~95y · appointed 2009-10-24 · resigned 2009-10-24
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (61 total)
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-12-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-10-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-08-04
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-10-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-06-28
capital-allotment-shares
capital · SH01
2024-03-15
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2024-03-15
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2024-03-15
capital-name-of-class-of-shares
capital · SH08
2024-03-15
capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-shares
capital · SH10
2024-03-15
second-filing-of-director-appointment-with-name
officers · RP04AP01
2024-03-11
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-10-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-09-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-10-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-09-27