ESWL LIMITED
📉Decliningactive
SC374888 · ltd · incorporated 2010-03-15
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.
Opportunity decay
drifting distress · 6-months
Drifting toward distress — expect more negotiability in 3–6 months, but also more friction.
- · Lifecycle stage drifting downward
- · Currently "declining"
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
£31.23M
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
72/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Other transportation support activities
Sector: Transportation & storage
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and acceptable with review structure.
Opportunity 72/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: strategic trade sale (78/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 13.7y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 13.7 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
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
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
11 officers (5 active, 11 linked, 9 with DOB)
86
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
75 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
72/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
50
Some acquirability indicators.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102Profitable
Profit before tax £912,993
Turnover YoY
+3%
Year on year
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 | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £31.23M | £30.20M |
| Gross profit | £3.26M | £3.08M |
| Operating profit | £1.06M | £1.34M |
| Profit before tax | £913.0k | £1.21M |
| Average employees | 4600 | 3900 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
3 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
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (45 events)Click to expand
- 2025-12-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-08-07📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2025-07-31➖SELBIE, Mark James resigneddirector
- 2025-03-11📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2025-03-11📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2025-03-10➕MCDERMID, Tony Graham appointeddirector
- 2025-03-10➕MCMURRAY, Brian John appointeddirector
- 2024-12-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-24📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2024-09-24📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2024-09-23➕SELBIE, Mark James appointeddirector
- 2024-09-13➖BIRNIE, Gavin James resigneddirector
- 2024-09-13📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2023-12-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-04-24📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2023-04-24📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2023-04-21➕DOUGARY, Emma Louise appointeddirector
- 2023-04-21➕BIRNIE, Gavin James appointeddirector
- 2023-03-23📄mortgage-alter-floating-charge-with-numbermortgage · 466(Scot)
- 2023-02-08📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2023-02-08📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2023-02-08🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2023-02-08🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2023-02-02📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2023-01-27🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Rbs Invoice Finance LTD
- 2022-11-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-07-03📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-07-03📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2022-07-03📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2022-05-17📄mortgage-alter-floating-charge-with-numbermortgage · 466(Scot)
- 2022-05-12📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-04-28➖FRASER, Colin Lewis Robertson resigneddirector
- 2022-04-26🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Barclays Security Trustee Limited
- 2022-04-26🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Barclays Security Trustee Limited
- 2017-12-28➖GRAY, James resigneddirector
- 2014-12-31➕DOUGARY, Emma appointedsecretary
- 2014-12-31➖GILL, Richard resignedsecretary
- 2014-09-09➖GILL, Richard resigneddirector
- 2014-09-01➕GILL, Richard appointedsecretary
- 2012-10-01➕DOUGARY, Iain Jonathan appointeddirector
- 2012-10-01➕GRAY, James appointeddirector
- 2012-08-13🔒Charge registered #1Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
- 2010-03-15🏢Company incorporatedAs ESWL LIMITED
- 2010-03-15➕FRASER, Colin Lewis Robertson appointeddirector
- 2010-03-15➕GILL, Richard appointeddirector
Owner dependency
48/100
Moderate — manageable with handoverSome founder dependency, but not acute. A structured handover period should cover most risk.
FACTORS
- -4 active directors: Broader management team in place — suggests transferable governance.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
43/100
Moderate signalSome succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
SIGNALS
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 14 years.
- 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
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Group structure
Eswl (Holdings) Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Eswl (Holdings) Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
⬇
ESWL LIMITED
This company · SC374888
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Eswl (Holdings) Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 28/12/2017 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr Colin Lewis Robertson Fraserceased 28/12/2017· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
- Mr Iain Jonathan Dougaryceased 28/12/2017· 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 · Transport & logistics · AB postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CK-KS COURIERS LIMITED→ SC365735 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| COMMERCIAL MOVES GROUP LIMITED→ SC552654 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| E & M LEES LTD→ SC725152 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| EDDA SUPPLY SHIPS III LIMITED→ SC666249 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ELECTRIC SCRIBE 2000 LIMITED→ SC214214 · est 2000 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 25y | — | — |
| EXCEL MAINTENANCE WESTHILL LTD→ SC401191 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| EYES ON THE ROAD LTD→ SC822235 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| FIRST SCOTRAIL LIMITED→ SC185018 · est 1998 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 27y | — | — |
| FIRSTGROUP PLC→ SC157176 · est 1995 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 31y | — | — |
| FRANCOIS OFFSHORE CATERING LIMITED→ SC631458 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| FRASERBURGH REMOVALS LTD→ SC745043 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| FRASERBURGH SELF STORAGE LTD→ SC736757 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2010-03-15
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC52290 — Other transportation support activities
Registered office
4 Prospect Place
Westhill
Aberdeenshire
AB32 6SY
Scotland
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-07-23
Last: 2025-07-09
Officers (5 active · 6 resigned)
Active
DOUGARY, Emma Louise→
Activedirector · ~42y · appointed 2023-04-21
View their other companies + combined net worth →
DOUGARY, Iain Jonathan→
Activedirector · ~43y · appointed 2012-10-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
MCDERMID, Tony Graham→
Activedirector · ~37y · appointed 2025-03-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
MCMURRAY, Brian John→
Activedirector · ~44y · appointed 2025-03-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
GILL, Richard→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2014-09-01 · resigned 2014-12-31
BIRNIE, Gavin James→
Resigneddirector · ~60y · appointed 2023-04-21 · resigned 2024-09-13
FRASER, Colin Lewis Robertson→
Resigneddirector · ~63y · appointed 2010-03-15 · resigned 2022-04-28
GILL, Richard→
Resigneddirector · ~75y · appointed 2010-03-15 · resigned 2014-09-09
GRAY, James→
Resigneddirector · ~63y · appointed 2012-10-01 · resigned 2017-12-28
SELBIE, Mark James→
Resigneddirector · ~40y · appointed 2024-09-23 · resigned 2025-07-31
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
4
Total charges
2
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | NatWest Group Rbs Invoice Finance LTD | A registered charge | — | 27/01/2023 | — | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Security Trustee Limited | A registered charge | — | 26/04/2022 | 08/02/2023 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Security Trustee Limited | A registered charge | — | 26/04/2022 | 08/02/2023 | |
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Floating charge | 1 property | 13/08/2012 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (75 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-23
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-08-07
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-07-09
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2025-03-11
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2025-03-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-19
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2024-09-24
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-09-24
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-09-13
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-08-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-08-15
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2023-04-24
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2023-04-24
mortgage-alter-floating-charge-with-number
mortgage · 466(Scot)
2023-03-23