ACE FINISH LTD
💤Zombieactive
07065517 · ltd · incorporated 2009-11-04
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 Nov 2024
Net worth
£90.7k
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 33170
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 80/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -44% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (58/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 12.3y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 12.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
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
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
3 officers (1 active, 3 linked, 2 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
50 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
60
Some acquirability indicators.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102Positive net assets
Net assets £90,688
Net assets shrinking
Down £32,953 YoY
Cash draining
Cash down 44% YoY
Cash YoY
-44%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£36k
↓ 44% YoY
Net Worth
£91k
↓ 27% YoY
Current Assets
£122k
↑ 1.5% YoY
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £104.3k | £147.0k |
| Current assets | £122.0k | £120.2k |
| Cash | £35.8k | £63.9k |
| Debtors | £63.3k | £31.9k |
| Net assets | £90.7k | £123.6k |
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 (23 events)Click to expand
- 2025-08-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2025-07-09➖PIGGOTT, Esther resigneddirector
- 2025-07-09📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-07-09📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2025-07-09📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-08-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2023-08-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-22📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2023-05-22📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-08-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-08-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-05-11📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-control-without-name-datepersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-05-10📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-05-10📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2020-07-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-07-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-11-08📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2017-12-30➕PIGGOTT, Esther appointeddirector
- 2014-02-20🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2010-08-01➖BOTCHER, John resignedsecretary
- 2009-11-04🏢Company incorporatedAs ACE FINISH LTD
- 2009-11-04➕PIGGOTT, Alan Sydney appointeddirector
- 2009-11-04➕BOTCHER, John appointedsecretary
Owner dependency
85/100
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.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 17 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
Succession & seller-readiness
68/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 17 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 17 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
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Alan Sydney Piggott Individual · British · DOB 09/1978 · age 48 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 01/07/2016 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mrs Esther Piggottceased 09/07/2025· 25-50% shares
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Manufacturing · PE postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 FABRICATION LIMITED→ 10851503 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| AB JOINERY KITCHENS & BEDROOMS LIMITED→ 11100736 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ABACUS TUBULAR PRODUCTS LIMITED→ 01903212 · est 1985 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 41y | — | — |
| ABAX UK LIMITED→ 07764543 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| ABC CNC AND FABRICATIONS LTD→ 15797670 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ABC LUTHERIE LTD→ 06762270 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| ABH MAINTENANCE SERVICES LTD→ 14348493 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AC COMPOSITES LIMITED→ 11441395 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| ACCESSEN GROUP LTD→ 14135373 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ACCESSTRADER LIMITED→ 04446523 · est 2002 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 23y | — | — |
| ACE CONTRACTING SOLUTIONS LTD→ 15615300 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ACORN JOINERY AND KITCHENS LIMITED→ 08422852 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2009-11-04
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC33170 — SIC 33170
Registered office
Unit 14 Roman Way Business Park London Road
Godmanchester
Huntingdon
PE29 2LN
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-08-31
Last made up to: 2024-11-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-07-23
Last: 2025-07-09
Officers (1 active · 2 resigned)
PIGGOTT, Alan Sydney→
Activedirector · ~48y · appointed 2009-11-04
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BOTCHER, John→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2009-11-04 · resigned 2010-08-01
PIGGOTT, Esther→
Resigneddirector · ~48y · appointed 2017-12-30 · resigned 2025-07-09
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 | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 20/02/2014 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (50 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2025-08-11
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-07-09
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-07-09
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-07-09
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-07-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-06-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2024-08-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-06-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2023-08-23
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-05-22
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-05-22
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-05-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-12-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-08-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-11-05