ORBIS ENGINEERING LTD

🌳Matureactive
SC373571 · ltd · incorporated 2010-02-24
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
—
year to Feb 2025
Net worth
£210.5k
book net assets
Opportunity
76/100
Strong
🔔
Follow this company (free)
Email alerts on filings, charges, director changes, gazette notices. No account needed.

Unsubscribe any time from any email. GDPR-respectful.

🔒Generate AI memo →🔒Outreach pack →🔒Corporate story →📑 Reports →Sign in to watch
What this business does
Primary activity: Other engineering activities
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
  • 96090Other service activities n.e.c.
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: asset-holding vehicle with strong profile and bankable structure.

Opportunity 76/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Most likely exit: strategic trade sale (63/100).

Data confidence

Overall: medium (72/100)

Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.

Company profile
address, 2 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
1 year of iXBRL accounts extracted (no YoY comparison) + narrative notes parsed
50
Lenders & charges
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
7 officers (3 active, 7 linked, 5 with DOB)
84
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
5 connected companies via shared directors
60
Filing history
56 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
65
Some acquirability indicators.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 105 (micro)
Positive net assets
Net assets £210,452

Key financials

1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
£210k
Current Assets
£488k
Current Liabilities
—

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 105 (micro)
Metric2025-02-28
Total assets£263.5k
Current assets£488.5k
Net assets£210.5k

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
0
filings
Last 90 days
2
filings
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
  • • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
4
filings
  • • 2 accounts
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
  • • 1 officers
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (30 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-02-23
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-current-extended
    accounts · AA01
  2. 2025-11-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  3. 2025-11-12
    📄
    appoint-corporate-secretary-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP04
  4. 2025-10-26
    ➕
    LC SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-secretary
  5. 2024-11-06
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  6. 2024-05-22
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  7. 2024-05-22
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  8. 2024-05-22
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  9. 2024-05-22
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  10. 2023-11-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  11. 2023-08-03
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  12. 2022-12-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  13. 2022-07-29
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  14. 2022-07-28
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  15. 2022-07-28
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  16. 2022-07-28
    ✏️
    certificate-change-of-name-company
    change-of-name · CERTNM
  17. 2022-07-27
    ➕
    ASH, Kathrine Marie appointed
    director
  18. 2021-11-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  19. 2020-12-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  20. 2020-01-27
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  21. 2012-02-28
    ➖
    HERD, William David resigned
    director
  22. 2012-02-24
    ➖
    BUCHAN, Scott resigned
    director
  23. 2010-02-24
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As ORBIS ENGINEERING LTD
  24. 2010-02-24
    ➕
    BUCHAN, Scott appointed
    director
  25. 2010-02-24
    ➕
    BRIAN REID LTD. appointed
    corporate-secretary
  26. 2010-02-24
    ➖
    BRIAN REID LTD. resigned
    corporate-secretary
  27. 2010-02-24
    ➕
    BUCHAN, Scott appointed
    director
  28. 2010-02-24
    ➕
    HERD, William David appointed
    director
  29. 2010-02-24
    ➕
    MABBOTT, Stephen George appointed
    director
  30. 2010-02-24
    ➖
    MABBOTT, Stephen George resigned
    director

Owner dependency

68/100
High — earn-out structure required

Material 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.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 16 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.

Succession & seller-readiness

49/100
Moderate signal

Some succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.

SIGNALS
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 16 years.
  • supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.

Red flags

clean
No red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)

Shareholders & ownership

2 active beneficial owners
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Scott Buchan
Individual · British · DOB 08/1979 · age 47
50–75%
50–75%50-75% shares · 50-75% voting06/04/2016
Ms Kathrine Marie Ash
Individual · British · DOB 08/1980 · age 46
25–50%
25–50%25-50% shares · 25-50% voting27/07/2022
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
  • Mr Scott Buchanceased 01/01/2019· 75-100% shares
  • Mr William David Herdceased 01/01/2019· 25-50% shares

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 · AB postcode area
CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
A J R FACILITIES CONSULTANCY LTD→
SC544953 · est 2016 · no financials extracted
————9y——
A JOB IN KNOCK LIMITED→
SC304240 · est 2006 · no financials extracted
————19y——
AE ECONOMICS LIMITED→
SC613612 · est 2018 · no financials extracted
————7y——
AECS GRAY ENGINEERING LTD.→
SC322000 · est 2007 · no financials extracted
————18y——
AGENTS OF DIGITAL CHANGE LTD→
SC808950 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
————1y——
AGGREGATE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LIMITED→
SC860628 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
AJD CONSULTANCY SERVICES LIMITED→
SC248282 · est 2003 · no financials extracted
————22y——
AKADDTECH LIMITED→
SC354359 · est 2009 · no financials extracted
————17y——
AKB TAX LIMITED→
SC739779 · est 2022 · no financials extracted
————3y——
ALAMDAR CONSULTANTS LIMITED→
SC710747 · est 2021 · no financials extracted
————4y——
ALAN BISSET COMPLETIONS LIMITED→
SC339019 · est 2008 · no financials extracted
————18y——
ALAN MCRITCHIE LIMITED→
SC314417 · est 2007 · no financials extracted
————19y——
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
Incorporated2010-02-24
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC71129 — Other engineering activities

Registered office

Goldwells House
Grange Road
Peterhead
AB42 1WN
Scotland

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-01-31
Last made up to: 2025-02-28
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-03-17
Last: 2026-03-03

Officers (3 active · 4 resigned)

LC SECRETARIES LIMITED→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2025-10-26
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
ASH, Kathrine Marie→
director · ~46y · appointed 2022-07-27
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BUCHAN, Scott→
director · ~47y · appointed 2010-02-24
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BRIAN REID LTD.→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2010-02-24 · resigned 2010-02-24
Resigned
BUCHAN, Scott→
director · ~47y · appointed 2010-02-24 · resigned 2012-02-24
Resigned
HERD, William David→
director · ~61y · appointed 2010-02-24 · resigned 2012-02-28
Resigned
MABBOTT, Stephen George→
director · ~76y · appointed 2010-02-24 · resigned 2010-02-24
Resigned

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

Recent filings (56 total)

confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-05
change-account-reference-date-company-current-extended
accounts · AA01
2026-02-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-11-18
appoint-corporate-secretary-company-with-name-date
officers · AP04
2025-11-12
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-11-06
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2024-05-22
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2024-05-22
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2024-05-22
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2024-05-22
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-04-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-11-22
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2023-08-03
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-12-21