The directors present the strategic report for the year ended 31 December 2024 .and the financial statements.

The principal activity of the company continued to be that of processing cut size glass.

Turnover in the year was £11,301,624 (2023: £12,022,421) and gross profit was £4,606,665 (2023: £3,918,362). No real change in our sales mix from 2023 to 2024.

On the 31st of December 2024, the directors consider the company’s finances to be sound as we continue to have a strong cash flow, with a £759,113 cash balance (2023: £523,503).This past year has seen an improvement in profits compared to 2023, due to a reduction in our energy costs and a tightening up on all sales and overhead costs.. Our online business continued to grow, helping offset some of the fall off in our window business.

This year, 2025 has seen continued cuts to our cost base. Sales are up approximately 5%. And our cash balance is in excess of £1.5m at the end of June. We are investing in a new water processing system, a new electricity substation and a Cloud based ERP system. Over the past few years, the second half of the year has proved more challenging and sharp glass price increases throughout the year are providing some headwinds in profitability. These increases will likely ease if the slump in the construction sector continues.

We are now adapting AI into our systems to help offset any future challenges. Thanks to our flexible retail business, a pro-forma-based trading arm, and the loyalty of our long-term customers, we expect further improvements in the years ahead.

On behalf of the board

The results for the year are set out on page 7.

Ordinary dividends were paid amounting to £500,000. The directors do not recommend payment of a further dividend.

The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:

In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that F M C B be reappointed as auditors of the company will be put at a General Meeting.

The directors are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law, the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period.

In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

So far as each person who was a director at the date of approving this report is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditor is unaware. Additionally, the directors individually have taken all the necessary steps that they ought to have taken as directors in order to make themselves aware of all relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditor is aware of that information.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the medium-sized companies exemption.

We have audited the financial statements of EXPRESS TOUGHENING LIMITED (the 'company') for the year ended 31 December 2024 which comprise the statement of comprehensive income, the balance sheet, the statement of changes in equity, the statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the company's affairs as at 31 December 2024 and of its profit for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

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 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 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 company and its 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, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the 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 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 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.

In identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we considered information including the following:

• the nature of the industry and sector, control environment and business performance;

• results of our enquiries of management regarding identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities;

• the internal controls and company procedures established to detect and mitigate risks of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations;

• the legal and regulatory framework that the company operates in which includes in this context the Companies Act and tax legislation;

• consideration of factors that do not have a direct effect on the financial statements but compliance with which may be fundamental to the company’s ability to operate.

As a result of considering the above we use audit procedures to respond to any potential risks. Procedures used include the following:

• reviewing the financial statement disclosures and testing supporting documentation to assess compliance with provisions of relevant laws and regulations described as having a direct effect on the financial statements;

• performing analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud;

• enquiring of management to obtain an understanding of any provisions and testing the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments;

• evaluating the business rationale of any significant transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business.

In addition to the above procedures the engagement team remained alert to any indications of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit.

There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above and, the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it.

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.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions relating to medium-sized companies.

EXPRESS TOUGHENING LIMITED is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 51-55 Fowler Road, Hainault Industrial Estate, Hainault, Essex, IG6 3XE.

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 sterling, which is the functional currency of the company.

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

The directors consider the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future and therefore the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.true

Turnover is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable and represents amounts receivable for goods and services provided in the normal course of business, net of discounts, VAT and other sales related taxes.

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

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 date fixed assets are reviewed to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered a material impairment loss. If a material impairment loss arises then it is recognised in the profit and loss account or against the revaluation reserve if the asset has been revalued.

Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value after making due allowance for obsolete and slow moving items.

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks.

The company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial assets include debtors, other receivables and bank balances.

Financial liabilities include trade creditors, finance lease and other payables.

Changes in the fair value of derivatives that are designated and qualify as fair value hedges are recognised in profit or loss immediately, together with any changes in the fair value of the hedged asset or liability that are attributable to the hedged risk.

The tax expense represents the sum of the tax currently payable and deferred tax.

The tax currently payable is based on taxable profit for the year. The company's liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting end date.

Deferred tax is provided in full in respect of taxation deferred by timing differences between the treatment of certain items for taxation and accounting purposes. The deferred tax balance has not been discounted.

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

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.

Rentals payable under operating leases are charged to the profit and loss account on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease.

In the application of the company’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.

The directors of the company have made a provision of £100,000 to reclassify spare parts from previously expensed items to consumable inventory on the Balance Sheet. This adjustment ensures compliance with FRS 102 and provides a more accurate representation of the company’s assets.

An analysis of the company's turnover is as follows:

The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the year was:

Their aggregate remuneration comprised:

The actual (credit)/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:

The net carrying value of tangible fixed assets includes the following in respect of assets held under finance leases and hire purchase contracts. The depreciation charge in respect of such assets amounted to £379,773 (2023 - £250,372).

Finance lease obligations represent amount payable by the company for motor vehicles and plant & machinery. Leases include purchase options at the end of the lease period, and no restrictions are placed on the use of the assets.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset where the company has a legally enforceable right to do so. The following is the analysis of the deferred tax balances (after offset) for financial reporting purposes:

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund.

The company paid rent of £431,700 (2023: £446,015) to the Directors Pension Funds, The GS & PS Curtis SAPPP.

On 25 October 2007, the directors GS and PS Curtis gave personal guarantees to the company's bankers for £290,000.

During the year the company made net sales of £140,001 (2023: £144,530) and purchases of £540 (2023: £540) to and from Vistamatic Limited.

Included in trade debtors is an amount of £5,289 (2023: £18,047) owed by Vistamatic Limited.

During the year the company made net sales of £218,778 (2023: £315,644) and purchases of £1,086 (2023: £0) to and from Between Glass Blinds Limited.

Included in trade debtors is an amount of £15,770 (2023: £15,032) owed by Between Glass Blinds Limited.

GS Curtis and PS Curtis are shareholders of Between Glass Blinds Limited and Vistamatic Limited.

At the year end the directors owed the company £696,116 (2023: £896,116).