CAPPER ENGINEERING SERVICES
🌳Matureactive
01794610 · private-unlimited · incorporated 1984-02-24
Investment thesis
Looks cheap but ownership + security both unclear — probable value trap.
Why interesting: Headline metrics may be attractive.
Why risky: No PSC visibility combined with multiple live charges; transacting likely slow and expensive.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
71/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 2852
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)Distressed active trading company — structural issues outweigh the discount.
Opportunity 71/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (88/100, director aged 73). Asset purchase likely safer than share purchase given structural signals. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 4 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
6 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 42.0y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 42.0 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 30/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: low (52/100)Sparse data coverage. Treat AI-generated outputs as preliminary. Manual diligence essential.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
6 charges (6/6 with lender, 6/6 with type)
90
Directors & officers
29 officers (3 active, 29 linked, 22 with DOB)
85
Ownership & PSC
No PSCs filed (unusual — worth investigating)
35
Director network
12 connected companies via shared directors
81
Filing history
180 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
71/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
60
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
59
Some moderate concerns — review 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 (88 events)Click to expand
- 2018-08-30📄restoration-order-of-courtrestoration · AC92
- 2016-11-08📄gazette-dissolved-compulsorygazette · GAZ2
- 2016-11-08🏁Company dissolved
- 2016-02-10📄dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspendeddissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
- 2015-08-04📄dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspendeddissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
- 2015-07-24📄dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspendeddissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
- 2015-06-02📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2014-09-23📄gazette-notice-compulsarygazette · GAZ1
- 2014-09-20📄dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspendeddissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
- 2012-09-03📄restoration-order-of-courtrestoration · AC92
- 2011-09-13📄gazette-dissolved-compulsarygazette · GAZ2
- 2011-05-10📄gazette-notice-compulsarygazette · GAZ1
- 2010-03-19📄restoration-order-of-courtrestoration · AC92
- 2004-08-10📄gazette-dissolved-voluntarygazette · GAZ2(A)
- 2004-04-27📄gazette-notice-voluntarygazette · GAZ1(A)
- 2004-03-15📄legacydissolution · 652a
- 2004-01-14📄legacyannual-return · 363a
- 2003-11-07📄legacyofficers · 288c
- 2003-07-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2003-01-14📄legacyannual-return · 363a
- 2002-12-09📄legacyofficers · 288a
- 2002-12-09📄legacyofficers · 288b
- 2002-11-27➕BOWLER, David William appointedsecretary
- 2002-11-27➖FRASER, Kay Lisa resignedsecretary
- 2002-06-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2002-01-09📄legacyannual-return · 363a
- 2001-06-12📄legacyofficers · 288a
- 2001-06-12📄legacyofficers · 288b
- 2001-06-06➕ZELLER, Eric Marie Michel appointeddirector
- 2001-06-06➖GILES, Paul Joseph resigneddirector
- 1999-12-20➖NOWELL, Paul Richard Carl resigneddirector
- 1998-11-30➖BURNEY, Geoffrey resigneddirector
- 1998-11-18➖DORSNER, Guy resigneddirector
- 1998-11-18➖DOWNEY, Harold David resigneddirector
- 1998-11-18➖MOSS, Derek resigneddirector
- 1998-11-18➖SMALL, Derrick William resigneddirector
- 1998-11-18➖STANION, John Oliver Mark resigneddirector
- 1998-11-18➖ZELLER, Eric Marie Michel resigneddirector
- 1998-11-17➕COMBA, Alexander Michael appointeddirector
- 1998-11-17➖BOWLER, David William resignedsecretary
- 1998-11-17➕FRASER, Kay Lisa appointedsecretary
- 1998-09-18➕GILES, Paul Joseph appointeddirector
- 1998-08-19➕NOWELL, Paul Richard Carl appointeddirector
- 1998-06-26➖QUINLAN, Paul resigneddirector
- 1998-04-28➖BAXTER, William resigneddirector
- 1997-05-06➕BAXTER, William appointeddirector
- 1997-05-06➕DOWNEY, Harold David appointeddirector
- 1997-05-06➕QUINLAN, Paul appointeddirector
- 1997-05-06➕SMALL, Derrick William appointeddirector
- 1996-12-31➕BOWLER, David William appointedsecretary
Showing most recent 50 of 88 events
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
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 27 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 73 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
91/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 73 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 27 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 42 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
1 high · 1 med ·Confirmation statement overdue
highAnnual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal.
Evidence: Next due: 2017-01-14
Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
🔒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 · WD postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2EO FACTORY LTD→ 09767825 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| 338 CABLE HIRE LTD→ 11620505 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| 37FIFTY LTD→ 16458774 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5 STAR DESK LTD→ 15663178 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| 93BARAKA LTD→ 16751832 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9COLOURS LIMITED→ 11141936 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| A & G BESPOKE JOINERY LTD→ 15574428 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| A H CARPENTERS & JOINERY LTD→ 10962297 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| A. A. I. FIRE SYSTEMS LTD.→ 03342226 · est 1997 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 29y | — | — |
| A. A. I. SECURITY SYSTEMS LTD.→ 03342484 · est 1997 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 29y | — | — |
| A.A.I. ALARMS LIMITED→ 02209789 · est 1988 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 38y | — | — |
| A&C SMART SERVICES LTD→ 15599891 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
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
Typeprivate-unlimited
Incorporated1984-02-24
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC2852 — SIC 2852
Registered office
Astral House
Imperial Way
Watford
Hertfordshire
WD24 4WW
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: —
Last made up to: 2002-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2017-01-14OVERDUE
Last: —
Officers (3 active · 26 resigned)
BOWLER, David William→
Activesecretary · appointed 2002-11-27
View their other companies + combined net worth →
COMBA, Alexander Michael→
Activedirector · ~73y · appointed 1998-11-17
View their other companies + combined net worth →
ZELLER, Eric Marie Michel→
Activedirector · ~71y · appointed 2001-06-06
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BOWLER, David William→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1996-12-31 · resigned 1998-11-17
DAVIES, Paul Anthony→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1993-02-18 · resigned 1996-12-31
FLATLEY, Peter Kevin→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 1993-12-31
FRASER, Kay Lisa→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1998-11-17 · resigned 2002-11-27
PAYNE, Guy Stephen John→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1992-12-07 · resigned 1993-02-18
TAYLOR, David Harold→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1992-04-01 · resigned 1993-02-18
BAXTER, William→
Resigneddirector · ~78y · appointed 1997-05-06 · resigned 1998-04-28
BURNEY, Geoffrey→
Resigneddirector · ~78y · appointed 1993-08-26 · resigned 1998-11-30
DORSNER, Guy→
Resigneddirector · ~76y · appointed 1995-04-12 · resigned 1998-11-18
DOWNEY, Harold David→
Resigneddirector · ~68y · appointed 1997-05-06 · resigned 1998-11-18
GILES, Paul Joseph→
Resigneddirector · ~66y · appointed 1998-09-18 · resigned 2001-06-06
HARRISON, Philip Wayne→
Resigneddirector · ~81y · appointed 1992-06-08 · resigned 1992-10-31
HATFIELD, Robert Bryan→
Resigneddirector · ~86y · appointed 1992-12-03 · resigned 1995-05-31
JOHNSON, Peter James→
Resigneddirector · ~77y · appointed 1992-12-03 · resigned 1993-10-31
LAURIE, Gordon Park→
Resigneddirector · ~77y · appointed 1992-04-01 · resigned 1993-03-26
MCGRATH, William Brendan→
Resigneddirector · ~68y · appointed 1992-04-01 · resigned 1992-08-31
MOSS, Derek→
Resigneddirector · ~87y · resigned 1998-11-18
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
6
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:6 of 6 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Norwest Holst Pensions (Property) . / Norwest Holst Pensions Norwest Holst Pensions (Property) Limited. / Norwest Holst Pensions Limited | Deed of accession. | 1 property | 31/01/1991 | 25/09/1993 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 31/01/1991 | 25/09/1993 | |
| satisfied | Norwich Generla Trust Norwich Generla Trust Limited | Legal charge | 1 property | 07/07/1988 | 08/01/1992 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 02/10/1986 | 08/01/1992 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 30/09/1986 | 08/01/1992 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Mortgage debenture | 1 property | 09/04/1984 | 08/01/1992 |
Recent filings (180 total)
restoration-order-of-court
restoration · AC92
2018-08-30
gazette-dissolved-compulsory
gazette · GAZ2
2016-11-08
dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
2016-02-10
dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
2015-08-04
dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
2015-07-24
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2015-06-02
gazette-notice-compulsary
gazette · GAZ1
2014-09-23
dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
2014-09-20
restoration-order-of-court
restoration · AC92
2012-09-03
gazette-dissolved-compulsary
gazette · GAZ2
2011-09-13
gazette-notice-compulsary
gazette · GAZ1
2011-05-10
restoration-order-of-court
restoration · AC92
2010-03-19
gazette-dissolved-voluntary
gazette · GAZ2(A)
2004-08-10
gazette-notice-voluntary
gazette · GAZ1(A)
2004-04-27
legacy
dissolution · 652a
2004-03-15