DM FORKLIFTS LIMITED
Opportunity 71/100 (strong), bankability 52/100. 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. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
Refinance opportunity
5 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 2.7y
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Newest facility, 2.7 years old — likely still in initial term.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (78/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsHover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 17 | 1600 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
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
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 3 mortgage
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 accounts
Corporate timeline (17 events)Click to expand
- 2025-11-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-10-30📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-10-28📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-10-28📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-10-28🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Close Brothers Limited
- 2025-10-22🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Close Brothers Limited
- 2025-10-16🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Close Brothers Limited
- 2024-12-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-30📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-09-20🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Limited
- 2023-10-27📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-shortenedaccounts · AA01
- 2023-08-15📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2023-08-10🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Bank of Scotland PLC
- 2023-04-03🏢Company incorporatedAs DM FORKLIFTS LIMITED
- 2023-04-03➕MESTON, Derek John appointeddirector
- 2023-04-03➕MESTON, Gillian appointeddirector
- 2023-04-03📄incorporation-companyincorporation · NEWINC
Owner dependency
Material founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 62 — approaching natural succession window.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
Some succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 62. Early succession window.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
Red flags
1 med · 1 lowHeavy recent charge activity can indicate refinancing pressure, aggressive leverage, or multiple lender rotation.
Evidence: 2025-10-28: A registered charge; 2025-10-22: A registered charge; 2025-10-16: A registered charge
Heavily leveraged with multiple live security positions — understand the capital structure before proceeding.
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Derek John Meston Individual · British · DOB 08/1964 · age 62 | 50–75% | 50–75% | board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control | 03/04/2023 |
Mrs Gillian Meston Individual · British · DOB 09/1967 · age 59 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 03/04/2023 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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| FLIRTIES PRODUCTS AND TRAINING LTD→ SC421229 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| FLUID POWER SCOTLAND LTD→ SC735060 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| FOREST FARM DAIRY LTD→ SC662363 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
9 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 →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
Registered office
Filing status
Officers (2 active · 0 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Close Brothers Close Brothers Limited | A registered charge | — | 28/10/2025 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Brothers Close Brothers Limited | A registered charge | — | 22/10/2025 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Brothers Close Brothers Limited | A registered charge | — | 16/10/2025 | — | |
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Limited | A registered charge | — | 20/09/2024 | — | |
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Bank of Scotland PLC | A registered charge | — | 10/08/2023 | — |