W.J. SHAW & SONS, LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
R0000775 · ltd · incorporated 1902-12-05
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
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
  • · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
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What this business does
Primary activity: Wholesale of sugar and chocolate and sugar confectionery
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 78-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 62/100. Strong seller-intent signal (75/100, director aged 78). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 6 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

10 live charges · 6 lenders · oldest 36.0y

35/100
too messy

Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.

  • · Oldest live charge is 36.0 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 6 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Legal-friction score 40/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (55/100)

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
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
10 charges (10/10 with lender, 10/10 with type)
90
Directors & officers
10 officers (2 active, 10 linked, 8 with DOB)
86
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
221 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
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

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 (52 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-08-20
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  2. 2025-08-20
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  3. 2025-06-16
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  4. 2025-04-08
    📄
    capital-cancellation-shares
    capital · SH06
  5. 2025-04-08
    📄
    capital-return-purchase-own-shares
    capital · SH03
  6. 2024-05-14
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  7. 2023-09-21
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  8. 2023-09-15
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  9. 2023-09-12
    🔒
    Charge registered #10
    Lender: Rbs Invoice Finance LTD
  10. 2023-08-22
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  11. 2023-07-03
    ➖
    SHAW, Joseph Stephen resigned
    director
  12. 2023-05-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  13. 2022-03-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  14. 2022-02-14
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  15. 2022-02-14
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  16. 2022-02-09
    📄
    capital-cancellation-shares
    capital · SH06
  17. 2022-02-09
    📄
    capital-return-purchase-own-shares
    capital · SH03
  18. 2021-12-13
    ➖
    HOLLAND, Kevin resigned
    secretary
  19. 2021-12-13
    ➖
    HOLLAND, Kevin resigned
    director
  20. 2021-09-24
    📄
    capital-cancellation-shares
    capital · SH06
  21. 2021-09-21
    📄
    capital-return-purchase-own-shares
    capital · SH03
  22. 2021-08-25
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  23. 2021-06-30
    ➖
    MCCAW, Richard resigned
    director
  24. 2021-05-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  25. 2020-09-11
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  26. 2019-04-04
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #8
  27. 2019-04-04
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #7
  28. 2015-06-11
    🔒
    Charge registered #9
    Lender: Ulster Bank Limited
  29. 2013-03-28
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #6
  30. 2013-03-28
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #4
  31. 2013-03-28
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  32. 2012-07-02
    🔒
    Charge registered #8
    Lender: Close Invoice Finance Limited
  33. 2012-03-01
    🔒
    Charge registered #7
    Lender: Close Invoice Finance LTD
  34. 2010-12-08
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #5
  35. 2010-11-22
    🔒
    Charge registered #6
    Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
  36. 2009-08-07
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
  37. 2009-08-07
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
  38. 2009-08-05
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  39. 2009-08-05
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  40. 2006-03-31
    ➖
    FREEBURN, Oscar Robert resigned
    secretary
  41. 2006-03-31
    ➖
    FREEBURN, Oscar Robert resigned
    director
  42. 2006-03-31
    ➖
    HOLLAND, Kevin Damian resigned
    director
  43. 2006-03-24
    ➕
    HOLLAND, Kevin appointed
    secretary
  44. 2006-03-24
    ➕
    HOLLAND, Kevin Damian appointed
    director
  45. 2005-09-30
    ➕
    BELL, Nigel appointed
    director
  46. 2005-09-30
    ➕
    HOLLAND, Kevin appointed
    director
  47. 2005-09-30
    ➕
    MCCAW, Richard appointed
    director
  48. 2000-07-26
    ➖
    SHAW, Joseph C resigned
    director
  49. 1992-05-29
    🔒
    Charge registered #5
    Lender: Northern Bank Limited
  50. 1990-05-30
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Northern Bank Limited
Showing most recent 50 of 52 events

Owner dependency

98/100
Critical — business is the founder

The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.

FACTORS
  • +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
  • +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "SHAW" — strong identity link between founder and business.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 21 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 78 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

96/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 78 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 21 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 123 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 ·
Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
medium

Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Colin Shaw
Individual · British · DOB 07/1984 · age 42
75–100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control03/07/2023
1 historic (ceased) PSC
  • Mr William Neal Shawceased 11/09/2024· 25-50% shares

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

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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
Incorporated1902-12-05
Jurisdictionnorthern-ireland
Primary SIC46360 — Wholesale of sugar and chocolate and sugar confectionery

Registered office

Units B3 & B4
17 Heron Road
Sydenham Business Park
Belfast
BT3 9LF

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-08-05
Last: 2025-07-22

Officers (2 active · 8 resigned)

BELL, Nigel→
director · ~60y · appointed 2005-09-30
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SHAW, William Neal→
director · ~78y
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
FREEBURN, Oscar Robert→
secretary · resigned 2006-03-31
Resigned
HOLLAND, Kevin→
secretary · appointed 2006-03-24 · resigned 2021-12-13
Resigned
FREEBURN, Oscar Robert→
director · ~84y · resigned 2006-03-31
Resigned
HOLLAND, Kevin Damian→
director · ~53y · appointed 2006-03-24 · resigned 2006-03-31
Resigned
HOLLAND, Kevin→
director · ~53y · appointed 2005-09-30 · resigned 2021-12-13
Resigned
MCCAW, Richard→
director · ~70y · appointed 2005-09-30 · resigned 2021-06-30
Resigned
SHAW, Joseph Stephen→
director · ~78y · resigned 2023-07-03
Resigned
SHAW, Joseph C→
director · ~110y · resigned 2000-07-26
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

10
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:10 of 10 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
NatWest Group
Rbs Invoice Finance LTD
A registered charge—12/09/2023—
outstanding
NatWest Group
Ulster Bank Limited
A registered charge—11/06/2015—
satisfied
Close Invoice Finance
Close Invoice Finance Limited
Legal charge1 property02/07/201204/04/2019
satisfied
Close Invoice Finance
Close Invoice Finance LTD
Debenture1 property01/03/201204/04/2019
satisfied
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
Debenture1 property22/11/201028/03/2013
satisfied
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
Debenture1 property07/08/200928/03/2013
satisfied
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland
Mortgage or charge2 properties07/08/200928/03/2013
satisfied
Northern Bank
Northern Bank Limited
Mortgage2 properties29/05/199208/12/2010
satisfied
Northern Bank
Northern Bank Limited
Mortgage or charge1 property30/05/199005/08/2009
satisfied
Northern Bank
Northern Bank Limited
Mortgage or charge1 property30/05/199005/08/2009
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (221 total)

change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-08-20
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-08-20
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-08-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2025-06-16
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2025-04-08
capital-return-purchase-own-shares
capital · SH03
2025-04-08
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-08-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2024-05-14
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2023-09-21
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-09-15
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-08-24
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2023-08-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2023-05-17
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-08-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2022-03-02