ALPHA FIRE ENGINEERING LTD
💤Zombieactive
07662382 · ltd · incorporated 2011-06-08
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 Jun 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
76/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Other engineering activities
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 69-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 76/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (78/100, director aged 69). 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 (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
5 live charges · 5 lenders · oldest 14.8y
15/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 14.8 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
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
5 charges (5/5 with lender, 5/5 with type)
90
Directors & officers
3 officers (1 active, 3 linked, 3 with DOB)
90
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
64 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
76/100Strong
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
74
Few red 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 · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-06-30 | 2024-06-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 400 | 600 |
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
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (35 events)Click to expand
- 2026-03-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-12-12📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-12-11📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-07-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-06-13📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2025-06-02📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2025-05-31➖MURRAY, Stephen resigneddirector
- 2025-03-07📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortenedaccounts · AA01
- 2025-03-04📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2025-03-04📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2024-08-29📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-08-29🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2024-05-29📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2024-05-28📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2024-05-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-07-19📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-07-19📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-07-19📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2023-05-10📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2023-04-20🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Ecapital Commercial Finance Limited
- 2023-02-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-04-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-01-18📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2019-01-21🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2017-12-19🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC
- 2017-06-12🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2017-04-28➖ADAMS, David resigneddirector
- 2017-01-30🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Skipton Business Finance Limited
- 2017-01-30🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2014-07-08🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Five Arrows Business Finance PLC
- 2014-06-13➕HARMER, Terry Gillian appointeddirector
- 2011-08-30🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Lloyds Tsb Commercial Finance Limited
- 2011-06-08🏢Company incorporatedAs ALPHA FIRE ENGINEERING LTD
- 2011-06-08➕ADAMS, David appointeddirector
- 2011-06-08➕MURRAY, Stephen appointeddirector
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 69 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
88/100
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 69. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 12 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 15 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 · 1 lowCharge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Multiple registered office changes
lowMultiple address changes in a short period can indicate operational instability or admin disorder.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mrs Terry Gillian Harmer Individual · British · DOB 02/1957 · age 69 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Stephen Murrayceased 27/05/2025· 50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control
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 · Professional services · SL postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALEXANDRA ACCOUNTING LIMITED→ 10309326 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| ALLSAFE ENGINEERING LIMITED→ 11395775 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| ALLTYPE HIRE LTD→ 16036193 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ALMAS CONSULTING LTD→ 07552449 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 15y | — | — |
| ALOIS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED→ 10621417 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| ALPHA CONTROLS LIMITED→ 03745706 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 27y | — | — |
| ALTUS HEALTHCARE LIMITED→ 10888660 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ALVISE LIMITED→ 06631736 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| AMANDA J ADVISORY LIMITED→ 16726719 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AMBIENCE CARE LIMITED→ 10139214 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| AMC CONSULTING SERVICES LTD→ 16536142 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AMCK CONSULTING LIMITED→ 16984718 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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
Incorporated2011-06-08
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC71129 — Other engineering activities
Registered office
Unit 6 Unit 6 Duttons Farm
Bangors Road South
Iver
Buckighamshire
SL0 0AY
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-03-29
Last made up to: 2025-06-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-06-20
Last: 2026-06-06
Officers (1 active · 2 resigned)
HARMER, Terry Gillian→
Activedirector · ~69y · appointed 2014-06-13
View their other companies + combined net worth →
ADAMS, David→
Resigneddirector · ~73y · appointed 2011-06-08 · resigned 2017-04-28
MURRAY, Stephen→
Resigneddirector · ~69y · appointed 2011-06-08 · resigned 2025-05-31
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
5
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:5 of 5 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Ecapital Commercial Finance Ecapital Commercial Finance Limited | A registered charge | — | 20/04/2023 | — | |
| satisfied | Hitachi Capital (UK) Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 19/12/2017 | 29/08/2024 | |
| satisfied | Skipton Business Finance Skipton Business Finance Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 30/01/2017 | 21/01/2019 | |
| satisfied | Five Arrows Business Finance Five Arrows Business Finance PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 08/07/2014 | 12/06/2017 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Commercial Finance Limited | All assets debenture | 1 property | 30/08/2011 | 30/01/2017 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (64 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-06-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-03-13
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-12-12
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-12-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-07-15
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-06-13
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-06-13
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-06-02
change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
accounts · AA01
2025-03-07
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-03-04
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-03-04
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-08-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-06-06
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2024-05-29
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2024-05-28