The directors present the strategic report for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The company’s principal activity is the supply of components to the aeronautical, transportation, medical equipment and industrial manufacturing industries. The statement of financial position remains strong with net assets £3,558,280 (2024 - £3,501,354).

The company achieved a reasonable 10% growth in sales compared with the previous year. Order input was strong and the company finished the year with an open order book of nearly £13m (25% higher), providing a strong foundation for the coming year’s trading. Orders received from Mainland Europe grew by 33% and totalled 16% of the year’s total.

The company held stock of £6.0m and this has been managed well with only occasional requirements to call on the overdraft arrangements in place with our bankers.

The customer base is diverse, representing companies in defence, aerospace, rail, engineering and medical equipment manufacturing industries. The company gained a further three franchised supplier business partners during the year, providing good resilience to market changes.

The company holds or issues financial instruments to finance its operation. Operations are financed by retained earnings. Working capital requirements are met out of retained earnings. In addition, various financial instruments such as trade receivables and trade payables arise directly from the company's operations. The company does not enter into any hedging arrangements.

The company is mainly exposed to credit risk from credit sales. It is company policy to assess the credit risk of new customers and to factor the information from these credit ratings into future dealings with the customers. At the statement of financial position date there were no significant concentrations of credit risk. The maximum exposure to credit risk is represented by the carrying amount of each financial asset in the statement of financial position.

The company undertakes a limited number of foreign currency transactions and is therefore exposed to foreign exchange risk. To part manage this risk, the company maintain foreign currency bank accounts into which foreign company receipts from customers are deposited and from which payments to suppliers are made. From time-to-time transfers are then made between the foreign currency and Sterling bank accounts.

The directors carefully monitor the liquidity and cash flow risk of the group of which the company is a member. The group has investments in liquidity funds with the group's bankers which are used to manage fluctuations in cash flow. Cash flow is monitored by the directors on a regular basis.

Each of the markets in which we operate are enjoying steady business conditions following the reduction in inflation within the general economy.

The company continues to search to acquire new franchises to support the development of the business in the coming years.

The company employs several financial KPIs which it uses to monitor and control the development of the business. These are split between the financial performance KPIs of margin and staff costs against gross profit and the financial position KPIs of inventory turnover and receivable days. The majority of these are currently running better than target.

On behalf of the board

The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The results for the year are set out on page 8.

During the year ordinary dividends were paid amounting to £623,448 (2024: £1,198,100). The directors do not recommend payment of a further dividend for the year ended 31 March 2025.

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

The auditor, Sumer Audit, is deemed to be reappointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.

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.

The company has chosen in accordance with Companies Act 2006, s. 414C(11) to set out in the company's strategic report information required by Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, Sch. 7 to be contained in the directors' report. It has done so in respect of financial instruments, principal risks and uncertainties, future development and principal activities.

The directors have undertaken a robust assessment of the company's future trading prospects and have concluded that the company remains a going concern. See note 1.2 to the financial statements for further detail.

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

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;

• state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

• 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.

We have audited the financial statements of AERCO Limited (the 'company') for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the statement of comprehensive income, the statement of financial position, the statement of changes in equity 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 March 2025 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, our procedures included the following:

• Obtaining an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework that the company operates in, focusing on those laws and regulations that had a direct effect on the financial statements and operations;

• Obtaining an understanding of the company’s policies and procedures on fraud risks, including knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud; and

• Discussing among the engagement team how and where fraud might occur in the financial statements and any potential indicators of fraud through our knowledge and understanding of the company and our sector-specific experience.

As a result of these procedures, we considered the opportunities and incentives that may exist within the company for fraud. We are also required to perform specific procedures to respond to the risk of management override. As a result of performing the above, we identified the following areas as those most likely to have an impact on the financial statements: health & safety, employment law and compliance with the UK Companies Act, the valuation of inventory and the adequacy of stock provision.

In addition to the above, our procedures to respond to risks identified included the following:

• Making enquiries of management about any known or suspected instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations and fraud;

• Challenging assumptions and judgements made by management in their significant accounting estimates, in particular in relation to stock provisions; and

• Auditing the risk of management override of controls, including through testing journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness.

Due to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that some material misstatements in the financial statements may not be detected, even though the audit is properly planned and performed in accordance with the ISAs (UK). For instance, the further removed non-compliance is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely the auditor is to become aware of it or to recognise the non-compliance.

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 statement of comprehensive income 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.

AERCO Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Units 16-17, Lawson Hunt Industrial Park, Broadbridge Heath, Horsham, RH12 3JR.

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. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £1.

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

This 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:

• 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.

At the time of approving the financial statements, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The directors have considered relevant information, including the company’s principal risks and uncertainties, the annual budget, forecast future cash flows and the impact of subsequent events in making their assessment.  Based on these assessments and having regard to the resources available to the entity, the directors have concluded that there is no material uncertainty and that they can continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the annual report and financial statements.true

Revenue is recognised at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable for goods provided in the normal course of business, and is shown net of VAT and other sales related taxes. The fair value of consideration takes into account trade discounts, settlement discounts and volume rebates.

Revenue from the sale of goods is recognised when the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the goods have passed to the buyer (usually on dispatch of the goods), 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.

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell. Cost is based on the cost of purchase on a first in, first out basis. Cost comprises direct materials and, where applicable, direct labour costs and those overheads that have been incurred in bringing the inventories to their present location and condition.

At each reporting date, an assessment is made for impairment. Any excess of the carrying amount of inventories over its estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell is recognised as an impairment loss in profit or loss. Reversals of impairment losses are also recognised in profit or loss.

Cash and cash equivalents are basic financial assets and include deposits held at call with banks.

The company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with 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.

The company enters into basic financial instruments transactions that result in the recognition of financial assets and liabilities like trade and other accounts receivable and payable and loans from related parties.

Debt instruments like loans and other accounts receivable and payable are initially measured at present value of the future payments and subsequently at amortised cost using the effective interest method; Debt instruments that are payable or receivable within one year are measured, initially and subsequently, at the undiscounted amount of the cash or other consideration expected to be paid or received.

Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire, or when it transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity. Financial liabilities are derecognised when, and only when, the company’s obligations are discharged, cancelled, or they expire.

Equity instruments issued by the company 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 company.

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.

Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all timing differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits.

The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense.

Contributions payable to the company's pension schemes are charged to the profit and loss account in the period to which they relate.

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 leases asset are consumed.

Transactions in currencies other than pounds Sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each reporting end date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the reporting end date. Gains and losses arising on translation are included in profit or loss for the period.

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 estimates and assumptions which have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amount of assets and liabilities are as follows.

A inventory provision is booked for cases where the net realisable value from sales of the stock item is estimated to be lower than the stock carrying value. The provision is estimated taking into account various factors, including prevailing sales prices of stock items, and losses associated with slow moving stock items. The stock provision for the year totalled £401,161 (2024: £167,877).

The total revenue of the company for the current and comparative year has been derived wholly from its principal activity.

The number of directors for whom retirement benefits are accruing under defined contribution schemes amounted to 2 (2024 - 2).

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

Their aggregate remuneration comprised:

The actual charge for the year can be reconciled to the expected charge for the year based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:

Amounts owed to the parent company have no terms and are therefore repayable on demand. Whilst the classification as current creditors reflects the contractual nature of the loans, the parent company does not seek repayment of these loans until the company is financially able to do so.

The bank loan of £100,000 (2024 - £150,000) relates to a CBILS loan with Lloyds, and the full amount is due in more than 12 months of the balance sheet date. The loan is secured by a legal charge on all assets of the company. The loan incurs interest at 2.3% per annum above the Bank of England base rate.

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.

Ordinary shares have attached to them full voting, dividend and capital distribution (including on winding up) rights.

At the reporting end date the company had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:

The company's ultimate and immediate parent company is AERCO (Holdings) Limited, a company ultimately controlled by Mr R Laughton.

AERCO (Holdings) Limited, prepares consolidated financial statements and copies can be obtained from Companies House. The registered office of AERCO (Holdings) Limited is Units 16-17, Lawson Hunt Industrial Park, Broadbridge Heath, Horsham, RH12 3JR.