ALBION DESIGN LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
08101487 · ltd · incorporated 2012-06-12
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 Jan 2025
Net worth
£-14.3k
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Manufacture of other builders' carpentry and joinery
Sector: Manufacturing
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
- 25110Manufacture of metal structures and parts of structures
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)Distressed active trading company — structural issues outweigh the discount.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 85/100. 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 -100% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 10.6y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 10.6 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · 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, 2 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
5 officers (1 active, 5 linked, 5 with DOB)
90
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 5 total, 5 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
58 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
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
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredNegative net assets
Liabilities exceed assets by £14,301
Very low cash
Cash position: £23
Cash draining
Cash down 100% YoY
Cash YoY
-100%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£23
↓ 100% YoY
Net Worth
-£14k
↓ 56% YoY
Current Assets
£7k
↓ 73% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-01-31 | 2024-01-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £-11.0k | £4.2k |
| Current assets | £7.0k | £26.1k |
| Cash | £23 | £5.5k |
| Debtors | £7.0k | £20.6k |
| Net assets | £-14.3k | £-9.2k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
2 signals 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
5
filings
- • 3 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 officers
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
5
filings
- • 3 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 officers
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (31 events)Click to expand
- 2026-05-18➖PLEDGER, Shaun Robert resigneddirector
- 2026-05-18📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2026-05-15📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2026-05-15📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2026-05-15📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2025-10-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-10-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-10-01📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2025-08-26➕PAYNE, Ian Michael appointeddirector
- 2024-11-22📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2024-11-22📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-11-22📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-11-18➖KIRTLAND, Laurie Stephen resigneddirector
- 2024-07-05📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2024-07-05📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-03-08📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2024-03-07➕PLEDGER, Shaun Robert appointeddirector
- 2023-12-20➖HUGHES, Alan John resigneddirector
- 2023-12-20📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2023-10-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-07-27📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2023-07-27📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2023-07-27📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-07-27📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2023-05-05➕KIRTLAND, Laurie Stephen appointeddirector
- 2016-02-18🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2015-11-30🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2013-12-09➖WILLETT, Andrew John resigneddirector
- 2012-06-12🏢Company incorporatedAs ALBION DESIGN LIMITED
- 2012-06-12➕HUGHES, Alan John appointeddirector
- 2012-06-12➕WILLETT, Andrew John appointeddirector
Owner dependency
83/100
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.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
55/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 59. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
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 Laurie Stephen Kirtland Individual · British · DOB 08/1959 · age 67 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 13/05/2026 |
4 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Alloy Fabweld Ltdceased 13/05/2026· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
- Mr Shaun Robert Pledgerceased 13/05/2026· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
- Mr Laurie Stephen Kirtlandceased 18/11/2024· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
- Mr Alan John Hughesceased 20/12/2023· 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 · CM postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A H ELECTRICAL & EV SERVICES LTD→ 13741120 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| ACTION HANDLING EQUIPMENT LIMITED→ 00985730 · est 1970 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 55y | — | — |
| AD TOTAL FAB LTD→ 13164328 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| AG OIL LTD→ 13278177 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| AINSWORTH TECHNICAL SERVICES LTD→ 11343781 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| AIR PUMPING LIMITED→ 03936996 · est 2000 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 26y | — | — |
| AKD & SON LIMITED→ 09540869 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| AKHTER COMPUTERS LIMITED→ 02253061 · est 1988 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 37y | — | — |
| AL WAFI ELECTROMECHANICAL WORKS (UK) LTD→ 12246540 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| ALBATROSS MARINE LTD→ 15828659 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ALBURY SERVICES LIMITED→ 02666478 · est 1991 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 34y | — | — |
| ALDRIDGE GLASS LIMITED→ 08803872 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2012-06-12
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC16230 — Manufacture of other builders' carpentry and joinery
Registered office
Rae House
Dane Street
Bishop's Stortford
Hertfordshire
CM23 3BT
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-10-31
Last made up to: 2025-01-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-05-29
Last: 2026-05-15
Officers (1 active · 4 resigned)
PAYNE, Ian Michael→
Activedirector · ~59y · appointed 2025-08-26
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HUGHES, Alan John→
Resigneddirector · ~66y · appointed 2012-06-12 · resigned 2023-12-20
KIRTLAND, Laurie Stephen→
Resigneddirector · ~67y · appointed 2023-05-05 · resigned 2024-11-18
PLEDGER, Shaun Robert→
Resigneddirector · ~59y · appointed 2024-03-07 · resigned 2026-05-18
WILLETT, Andrew John→
Resigneddirector · ~55y · appointed 2012-06-12 · resigned 2013-12-09
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
1
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 30/11/2015 | 18/02/2016 |
Recent filings (58 total)
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2026-05-18
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-05-15
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2026-05-15
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2026-05-15
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2026-05-15
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-11-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-10-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-10-06
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2025-10-01
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-11-22
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2024-11-22
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-11-22
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-11-22
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-08-06
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2024-07-05