PROBAT LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
SC055262 · ltd · incorporated 1974-03-18
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
Why now
Window steady · low confidence
Stable recent picture — watch for any upcoming trigger event.
What changed my view
Last 30 days
No material changes in the last 30 days.
Last 90 days
No snapshot from 90 days ago — start tracking from today.
Last 180 days
No snapshot from 180 days ago — start tracking from today.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Dec 2024
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
75/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 28990
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and acceptable with review structure.
Opportunity 75/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 7 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (77/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
15 live charges · 7 lenders · oldest 46.5y
45/100
clean up first
Refinance viable after a tidy-up — address the highlighted items first.
- · Oldest live charge is 46.5 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 7 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 40/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
- · Profitable and stable/growing — lender coverage supportable.
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
15 charges (15/15 with lender, 15/15 with type)
90
Directors & officers
10 officers (3 active, 10 linked, 7 with DOB)
84
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
161 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
🔒Estimated company valuation
Sector-multiple EBITDA, turnover, and NAV-proxy valuation range with confidence tier — derived from extracted iXBRL financials.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Opportunity Score
75/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
75
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
69
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102Profitable
Profit before tax £982,120
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 · FRS 102| Metric | 2024-12-31 | 2023-12-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Profit before tax | £982.1k | — |
| Average employees | 54 | 5200 |
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
0
filings
Last 180 days
4
filings
- • 2 officers
- • 1 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 change-of-name
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (61 events)Click to expand
- 2026-01-27📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC05
- 2026-01-22✏️certificate-change-of-name-companychange-of-name · CERTNM
- 2026-01-22📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2026-01-20➕THIMM, Christian appointeddirector
- 2026-01-20➖HARDT, Armin resigneddirector
- 2026-01-20📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2025-09-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2023-08-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-07📄accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AAMD
- 2022-09-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-01-10📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2021-12-31➖SIMON, Ernst Guenter resigneddirector
- 2021-12-21➕COUTTIE, Marc appointedsecretary
- 2021-12-21➖IRELAND, Robert resignedsecretary
- 2021-12-21➕HARDT, Armin appointeddirector
- 2021-12-21📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2021-12-21📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2021-12-21📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2021-07-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2020-10-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2019-06-05📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2019-06-01➕GORMAN, Joseph John appointeddirector
- 2019-04-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2019-01-31📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2019-01-14➖PFÖRSICH, Wolfgang Fridemann resigneddirector
- 2017-05-24🔒Charge registered #15Lender: Bank of Scotland PLC
- 2017-05-22🔓Charge satisfied #14
- 2017-05-22🔓Charge satisfied #7
- 2017-05-19🔒Charge registered #16Lender: Bank of Scotland PLC
- 2016-08-01➕PFÖRSICH, Wolfgang Fridemann appointeddirector
- 2016-05-20🔒Charge registered #14Lender: Clydesdale Bank PLC (Trading as Both Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank) (Company Number SC001111)
- 2014-11-27➖ANDERSON, Stuart Simpson resigneddirector
- 2013-07-17➖ROBERTON, Iain Russell resigneddirector
- 2013-07-17➕SIMON, Ernst Guenter appointeddirector
- 2013-05-30🔓Charge satisfied #9
- 2004-06-03🔓Charge satisfied #13
- 2004-01-21🔓Charge satisfied #12
- 2004-01-21🔓Charge satisfied #11
- 2004-01-21🔓Charge satisfied #10
- 2004-01-21🔓Charge satisfied #8
- 2001-01-08🔒Charge registered #13Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
- 2000-11-30🔒Charge registered #12Lender: Low & Duff Self Administered Pension Scheme
- 1999-02-18🔒Charge registered #11Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
- 1999-01-29➖ANDERSON, Patricia Helen resignedsecretary
- 1999-01-29➕IRELAND, Robert appointedsecretary
- 1997-06-11🔒Charge registered #10Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
- 1990-02-05🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 1990-02-05🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 1989-07-17🔓Charge satisfied #6
Showing most recent 50 of 61 events
Owner dependency
66/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 58 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
46/100
Moderate signalSome succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 58. Early succession window.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
Red flags
2 med ·Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Name changed recently
mediumName changes can be benign (rebrand) but can also precede distress, phoenix activity, or buyer concealment.
Evidence: 2026-01-22: certificate-change-of-name-company
Group structure
Hamburg Dresdner Maschinenfabriken Verwaltungsgesellschaft Mbh is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Hamburg Dresdner Maschinenfabriken Verwaltungsgesellschaft Mbh
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
⬇
PROBAT LIMITED
This company · SC055262
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Hamburg Dresdner Maschinenfabriken Verwaltungsgesellschaft Mbh Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Manufacturing · DD postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D. GEDDES (CONTRACTORS) LIMITED→ SC060200 · est 1976 | £16.59M £12.91M–£20.28M | — | — | 11900 | 50y | 85 | 90y |
| ABERDEEN JOURNALS LIMITED→ SC015256 · est 1928 | £12.91M £10.04M–£15.77M | — | — | 143 | 97y | 85 | 76y |
| SCOTT & FYFE LIMITED→ SC017244 · est 1933 | £9.33M £7.26M–£11.41M | £21.01M | — | 9400 | 93y | 87 | 62y |
| HALLEY STEVENSONS LTD→ SC211231 · est 2000 | £8.37M £6.51M–£10.23M | £10.37M | — | 5200 | 25y | 83 | 73y |
| PACSON LIMITED→ SC114098 · est 1988 | £7.17M £5.58M–£8.76M | £13.80M | — | 8700 | 37y | 93 | 59y |
| JOINERY AND TIMBER CREATIONS (65) LIMITED→ SC099154 · est 1986 | £6.03M £4.69M–£7.37M | £27.56M | — | 23000 | 40y | 82 | 64y |
| HUTCHISON TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED→ SC176095 · est 1997 | £1.92M £1.49M–£2.35M | £15.44M | — | 12200 | 29y | 89 | 57y |
| CAMVAC ROCKWELL LIMITED→ SC177774 · est 1997 | £1.19M £927.2k–£1.46M | — | — | 71 | 28y | 84 | 60y |
| BENTLEYS HOLDINGS LIMITED→ SC212699 · est 2000 | — | — | — | 0 | 25y | 83 | 71y |
| METALTECH UK LIMITED→ SC334096 · est 2007 | — | — | £345.4k | — | 18y | 83 | 62y |
| MONTROSE ROPE & SAIL COMPANY LIMITED→ SC246159 · est 2003 | — | — | — | 21 | 23y | 83 | 64y |
| OBAN SCALLOP GEAR LIMITED→ SC352798 · est 2008 | — | — | — | 700 | 17y | 83 | 85y |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
6 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
Incorporated1974-03-18
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC28990 — SIC 28990
Registered office
Sir William Smith Road
Kirkton Industrial Estate
Arbroath
Angus
DD11 3RD
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-08-01
Last: 2025-07-18
Officers (3 active · 7 resigned)
Active
GORMAN, Joseph John→
Activedirector · ~58y · appointed 2019-06-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
THIMM, Christian→
Activedirector · ~48y · appointed 2026-01-20
View their other companies + combined net worth →
ANDERSON, Patricia Helen→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 1999-01-29
IRELAND, Robert→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1999-01-29 · resigned 2021-12-21
ANDERSON, Stuart Simpson→
Resigneddirector · ~80y · resigned 2014-11-27
HARDT, Armin→
Resigneddirector · ~52y · appointed 2021-12-21 · resigned 2026-01-20
PFÖRSICH, Wolfgang Fridemann→
Resigneddirector · ~57y · appointed 2016-08-01 · resigned 2019-01-14
ROBERTON, Iain Russell→
Resigneddirector · ~77y · resigned 2013-07-17
SIMON, Ernst Guenter→
Resigneddirector · ~70y · appointed 2013-07-17 · resigned 2021-12-31
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
15
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:15 of 15 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Bank of Scotland PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 24/05/2017 | — | |
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Bank of Scotland PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 19/05/2017 | — | |
| satisfied | Virgin Money Clydesdale Bank PLC (Trading as Both Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank) (Company Number SC001111) | A registered charge | — | 20/05/2016 | 22/05/2017 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland | Bond & floating charge | 1 property | 08/01/2001 | 03/06/2004 | |
| satisfied | Low & Duff Self Administered Pension Scheme | Standard security | 1 property | 30/11/2000 | 21/01/2004 | |
| satisfied | Virgin Money Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company | Standard security | 1 property | 18/02/1999 | 21/01/2004 | |
| satisfied | Virgin Money Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company | Standard security | 1 property | 11/06/1997 | 21/01/2004 | |
| satisfied | Virgin Money Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company | Standard security | 1 property | 03/07/1989 | 30/05/2013 | |
| satisfied | Virgin Money Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company | Standard security | 1 property | 03/07/1989 | 21/01/2004 | |
| satisfied | Virgin Money Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company | Floating charge | 1 property | 26/06/1989 | 22/05/2017 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Standard security | 1 property | 18/12/1986 | 17/07/1989 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Bond & floating charge | 1 property | 02/03/1981 | 17/07/1989 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Bond & floating charge | 1 property | 27/01/1981 | 05/02/1990 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Standard security | 1 property | 22/12/1980 | 05/02/1990 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | Standard security | 1 property | 20/12/1979 | 08/01/1981 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (161 total)
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
2026-01-27
certificate-change-of-name-company
change-of-name · CERTNM
2026-01-22
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2026-01-22
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2026-01-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-09-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-07-29
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2024-09-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-07-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2023-08-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-08-21
accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AAMD
2022-10-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-09-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-09-05
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-01-10
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2021-12-21