The directors present their strategic report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.
The core business of Systech International ("the group") continues to be the provision of professional consultancy services in the specialist fields of risk analysis, contract management, quantity surveying, planning, project controls, claims preparation & evaluation, forensic delay analysis, expert witness services, legal and dispute resolution, including arbitration, adjudication, mediation and other alternative dispute resolution processes.
Systech International continues to be the preferred consultant for international contractors requiring a “one stop shop" approach to managing the risk and financial outcome on their major projects. However, Systech’s most rapidly growing international client base continues to be on the “client” side in particular in Canada and Australia. The business is now organising globally to segregate and keep separate these two business streams under the banners of “Systech International” for contractor business, and “Systech Infrastructure” for client-side business. These will sit alongside “Systech Law”, Systech’s construction law business. The group’s law firm continues to be an important part of the “one stop shop” that Systech offers to its clients and we expect ongoing growth in this area.
We continue to focus on profitable business sectors and regions that provide long term opportunities for growth with clients that are able and willing to pay within terms. This continued emphasis on winning top tier clients maintains the quality of our pipeline and its related revenue stream.
Disruption to the global economy continues with impacts of the COVID pandemic still affecting ways of working and delivery of services to clients whilst conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East disrupt global supply chains and the business and political confidence that underpins major construction projects. We continue to adapt well to the challenges and respond to the opportunities that arise. Uncertainties also exist in the second half of the calendar year 2024 and in to 2025 as the potential impacts of elections in the US and the UK are unclear. I am confident that we will respond to any new developments with our usual pragmatism, innovation and speed. Construction sector trends have been varied globally and the company continues to identify the challenges and opportunities arising and responds to them. The Group continues to build its business organically and continues to adapt and evolve to meet the changing requirements of these challenging economic times.
This realistic pro-active approach to market access continues to have a positive impact on underlying profitability & cash flow.
Group turnover for the year to 31 March 2024 was £54.4 million (2023 - £53.1 million) with a gross profit margin of 40.2% (2023: 42.0%).
The group is exposed to economic and market risks including foreign currency risk and the effects that economic changes have upon the construction industry. However, the group is very well positioned to respond to both upturns and downturns in the construction sector in that its services are readily adapted to assisting clients in the sector dependent on their needs in good times or bad. Additionally, the group's approach to resourcing means that it can respond quickly to shifts in demand, both to growth and contraction.
New ways of working consequent on the COVID 19 pandemic continue to impact on the Group’s risk profile. Systech’s risk management regime has continued to be responsive to these issues and is identifying, tracking and monitoring the response to risks arising.
The group is exposed to several important operational risks some of which are brought to the forefront of awareness because of legislation, in particular the UK Bribery Act 2010, the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the Criminal Finances Act 2017. The group takes its responsibilities to prevent wrongdoing seriously, has procedures in place to prevent such wrongdoing, and reviews those procedures from time to time.
Risks relating to the use and storage of information on IT systems are often underestimated and the group keeps these under regular review. The changes in the way the group works have seen a huge shift away from physical IT infrastructure to a Cloud based approach to IT delivery. This changes both the risk profile and the ability of systems to respond to the business’s requirements. The impacts of this shift are still being evaluated and will give rise to further systems changes to improve service levels and data security.
In current volatile market conditions, the potential impact of foreign currency exchange rate movements on the group's results is a real risk. However, the group has two structural mechanisms that substantially reduce any impacts:
Most of the group's business is denominated in four main currencies: GBP, USD, AUD and CAD and weakness in one currency is to a large degree offset, by strength in another and this provides some resilience to the Group’s Sales figures. The second structural aspect (2. below) of the group’s operations remains extremely important in protecting Group Profitability
The Group's business is largely naturally hedged. Where there are sales in a particular currency, the costs relating to those sales are also in that currency. This leaves any currency impact as a proportion of the profit figure rather than a proportion of sales or of purchases.
Cost inflation has in the last two and a half years been a much more important risk to the business than hitherto. We worked with our staff, our suppliers and service providers to manage cost inflation during this period and are now seeing inflationary pressures beginning to ease. However, the business continues to focus on management of suppliers and service provider costs.
The group's principal financial instruments comprise bank balances, bank overdrafts, trade creditors, trade debtors and loans to the group. The main purpose of these instruments is to finance the group's operations.
Due to the nature of the financial instruments used by the group, there is no exposure to price risk. The group's approach to managing other risks applicable to the financial instruments concerned is as follows:
In respect of bank balances, the liquidity risk is managed by maintaining a balance between the continuity of funding and flexibility using overdrafts at floating rates of interest.
The group manages its receivables position through a thorough consideration of credit terms offered to its clients.
In respect of loans to the group, these comprise short term facilities secured against trade debtors.
On behalf of the board
The directors present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.
The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:
The results for the year are set out on page 9.
There were no ordinary dividends paid out during the year.
We have audited the financial statements of Systech Group Limited (the 'parent company') and its subsidiaries (the 'group') for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise the group statement of comprehensive income, the group balance sheet, the company balance sheet, the group statement of changes in equity, the company statement of changes in equity, the group statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group and parent company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Conclusions relating to going concern
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the group's and parent company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
the information given in the strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
the strategic report and the directors' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and the parent company and their environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the directors' report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the parent company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of directors' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.
As explained more fully in the directors' responsibilities statement, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the parent company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the parent company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.
Discussions with and enquiries of management and those charged with governance were held with a view to identifying those laws and regulations that could be expected to have a material impact on the financial statements. During the engagement team briefing, the outcomes of these discussions and enquiries were shared with the team, as well as consideration as to where and how fraud may occur in the entity.
The following laws and regulations were identified as being of significance to the entity:
Those laws and regulations considered to have a direct effect on the financial statements include UK financial reporting standards, company law and tax and pensions legislation.
Those laws and regulations for which non-compliance may be fundamental to the operating aspects of the business and therefore may have a material effect on the financial statements include environmental regulations, health and safety legislation and Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) rules.
Audit procedures undertaken in response to the potential risks relating to irregularities (which include fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations) comprised: inquiries of management and those charged with governance as to whether the entity complies with such laws and regulations; enquiries with the same concerning any actual or potential litigation or claims; inspection of relevant legal correspondence; review of board minutes; testing the appropriateness of journal entries; and the performance of analytical review to identify unexpected movements in account balances which may be indicative of fraud. We have undertaken appropriate testing in regard to the group's compliance with certain core regulations.
No instances of material non-compliance were identified. However, the likelihood of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is limited by the inherent difficulty in detecting irregularities, the effectiveness of the entity’s controls, and the nature, timing and extent of the audit procedures performed. Irregularities that result from fraud might be inherently more difficult to detect than irregularities that result from error. As explained above, there is an unavoidable risk that material misstatements may not be detected, even though the audit has been planned and performed in accordance with ISAs (UK).
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
The profit and loss account has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.
As permitted by s408 Companies Act 2006, the company has not presented its own profit and loss account and related notes. The company’s profit for the year was £817,654 (2023: £840,455 profit).
Systech Group Limited (“the company”) is a limited company domiciled and incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 150 Minories, London, England, EC3N 1LS.
The group consists of Systech Group Limited and all of its subsidiaries.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
The financial statements are prepared in pounds sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
The company is a qualifying entity for the purposes of FRS 102, being a member of a group where the parent of that group prepares publicly available consolidated financial statements, including this company, which are intended to give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the group. The company has therefore taken advantage of exemptions from the following disclosure requirements for parent company information presented within the consolidated financial statements:
Section 4 ‘Statement of Financial Position’ – Reconciliation of the opening and closing number of shares;
Section 7 ‘Statement of Cash Flows’ – Presentation of a statement of cash flow and related notes and disclosures;
Section 33 ‘Related Party Disclosures’ – Compensation for key management personnel.
The consolidated group financial statements consist of the financial statements of the parent company Systech Group Limited together with all entities controlled by the parent company (its subsidiaries) and the group’s share of its interests in joint ventures and associates.
All financial statements are made up to 31 March 2024. Where necessary, adjustments are made to the financial statements of subsidiaries to bring the accounting policies used into line with those used by other members of the group.
All intra-group transactions, balances and unrealised gains on transactions between group companies are eliminated on consolidation. Unrealised losses are also eliminated unless the transaction provides evidence of an impairment of the asset transferred.
The group's business activities, together with the factors likely to affect its future development, performance and position, the group's objectives, policies and processes for managing its capital; its financial risk management objectives; and details of its financial instruments and its exposure to risk are set out in the Strategic Review on pages 1 to 3.
The company meets its day-to-day working capital requirement through bank overdraft and short term secured facilities available to the group.
The directors are in regular contact with the group's bankers and have had the group's facilities recently renewed. The next review of the facilities is due in March 2025. The directors are not aware of any factors at the date of approval of these financial statements why its facilities would not be maintained on similar terms at the next review date.
The directors therefore have a reasonable expectation that the company and the group has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus they continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the annual financial statements.
Turnover represents amounts receivable for services provided, net of VAT. Turnover is recognised as contract activity progresses which is billed on a monthly basis.
Revenue from the sale of services is recognised when the significant risks and rewards of deliverables have passed to the buyer (usually on delivery of service), the amount of revenue can be measured reliably, it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the entity and the costs incurred or to be incurred in respect of the transaction can be measured reliably.
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the profit and loss account.
At each reporting period end date, the group reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible and intangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any). Where it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an individual asset, the company estimates the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs.
The group has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the group's statement of financial position when the group becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset and the net amounts presented in the financial statements when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors, cash at bank balances and balances owed by fellow group members are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Financial assets are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting end date.
Financial assets are impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows have been affected. If an asset is impaired, the impairment loss is the difference between the carrying amount and the present value of the estimated cash flows discounted at the asset’s original effective interest rate. The impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss.
If there is a decrease in the impairment loss arising from an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the impairment is reversed. The reversal is such that the current carrying amount does not exceed what the carrying amount would have been, had the impairment not previously been recognised. The impairment reversal is recognised in profit or loss.
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the group after deducting all of its liabilities.
Basic financial liabilities
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors, bank overdrafts and balances due to fellow group members, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Equity instruments issued by the group are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the group.
The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the company is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
The cost of providing benefits under long-term employee benefit plans is based on the present value of the obligations at the balance-sheet date.
The group operates retirement schemes in countries where legislation requires it to do so. None of these schemes are defined benefits schemes that carry any actuarial risk.
Contributions payable are charged to the profit and loss account in the year they are payable or are accrued with respect to the year they relate to.
Leases are classified as finance leases whenever the terms of the lease transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to the lessees. All other leases are classified as operating leases.
Assets held under finance leases are recognised as assets at the lower of the assets fair value at the date of inception and the present value of the minimum lease payments. The related liability is included in the balance sheet as a finance lease obligation. Lease payments are treated as consisting of capital and interest elements. The interest is charged to profit or loss so as to produce a constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability.
Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged to profit or loss on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease except where another more systematic basis is more representative of the time pattern in which economic benefits from the leased asset are consumed.
Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rates of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. Transactions in foreign currencies are recorded at the rate ruling at the date of the transaction. All differences are taken to profit and loss account.
Consolidation of foreign subsidiaries has been effected using the closing rate/net investment method. For subsidiary companies reporting in foreign currencies, profit and loss account transactions have been translated at the average rate ruling during the year and balance sheet items have been translated at the rate ruling at the year-end. Differences arising from the retranslation of net investments in foreign subsidiaries are taken to other comprehensive income.
In the application of the group’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
These would be in respect of the carrying value of investments and goodwill, bad debt provision, depreciation, impairment provisions against asset values and mark-up percentage in relation to transfer pricing.
An analysis of the group's turnover is as follows:
The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the group and company during the year was:
Their aggregate remuneration comprised:
The actual charge for the year can be reconciled to the expected charge/(credit) for the year based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:
At the balance sheet date the group had world wide taxable losses of approximately £22,913,448 (2023: £22,912,991) that can be offset against future profits.
Details of the company's subsidiaries at 31 March 2024 are as follows:
1. Financial statements were unaudited for the year ended 31 March 2024 and the year ended 31 March 2023.
2. Although the group only owns 49% of the share capital in Systech International LLC, the remaining 51% is held by a local company in accordance with local statute. The group maintains control through the agreements in place with the 51% shareholder.
3. The registered office address of the subsidiaries is 150 Minories, London, England, EC3N 1LS
4. These are dormant companies.
5. In liquidation.
The short term facilities and overdrafts are secured over the underlying assets of the group.
Defined contribution pension schemes are operated for all qualifying employees. The assets of the schemes are held separately from those of the group in independently administered funds.
The group has in place arrangements where each UK member of the group guarantees the borrowing of its fellow UK group companies.
At 31 March 2024, bank balances across the UK group totalled £292,723 (2023: £124,841).
Additionally there is a cross company guarantee between Systech Group Limited and all of its subsidiary undertakings, in respect of amounts owed by Systech Limited, Systech Europe Limited, Systech International Inc, Systech Infrastructure Inc and Systech International Pty Limited relating to short term financing facilities.
The amount guaranteed under this agreement at 31 March 2024 was £2,823,673 (2023: £2,430,375) which is secured by a fixed and floating charge over the assets of the group.
At the reporting end date the group had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:
Included within creditors at the balance sheet date was £144,309 (2023: £118,156) owed to Mark Woodward-Smith. During the year, he advanced amounts totalling £1,870,250 (2023: £nil) to, and received repayments of £1,845,250 (2023: £nil) from the group. The group also advanced amounts totalling £120,513 (2023: £502,888) and received repayments of £121,666 (2023: £640,721). These loans are unsecured, interest-free, and repayable on demand.
Also included within creditors at the balance sheet date was £438,071 (2023: £240,746) owed to the ultimate controlling party. During the year, the ultimate controlling party advanced amounts totalling £5,612,250 (2023: £nil) to, and received repayments of £5,537,250 (2023: £nil) from the group. The group also advanced amounts totalling £2,141,158 (2023: £1,512,990) and received repayments of £2,263,483 (2023: £1,834,359). These loans are unsecured, interest-free, and repayable on demand.
All advances were approved by the shareholders of the company and any outstanding balances are not interest-bearing.
During the year £9,877,065 (2023: £11,995,617) of remuneration was paid to key management personnel other than the directors.
The company has taken advantage of the exemption available in FRS 102 "Related party disclosures", and has not disclosed transactions with any other members of the group.