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Registered number:
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
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COMPANY INFORMATION
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CONTENTS
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GROUP STRATEGIC REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
The directors present their Strategic Report and consolidated financial statements for the period ended 31 December 2025.
Douglass Joint Holdings Limited was incorporated on 13 December 2023 and completed a significant group restructure on 2 January 2024, through which it acquired 75.1% of Elmdene Group Limited and, with it, the Millboard group of companies. Douglass Joint Holdings Limited is the ultimate parent company of the group. That restructure, together with targeted acquisitions in 2024, established the platform from which the group has operated and grown during 2025. Further detail about the previous restructure activity is set out in the 2024 statutory accounts.
2025 performance
2025 demonstrated a significant step change in the group's performance. During the year the group achieved turnover of £76,947,794 (2024: £63,425,796). The increase of 21% was driven by growth in the sales of cladding products within the UK market and general market growth in the US, building on the wider geographic footprint and targeted investments in new territories established during 2024.
Profit before taxation was £5,127,793 (2024: loss of £7,190,759). The group increased cash at bank to £8,775,305 (2024: £4,905,665) at the year end, maintaining strong liquidity to meet its commitments and to take advantage of business opportunities. Dividends totalling £5,000,940 (2024: £988,282) were paid during the year.
Net assets of the group at the year-end were £46,247,125 (2024: £47,477,579) which are adequate to finance the planned growth.
The directors note the trading performance in 2025 and the retention of reserves within the group. The directors remain confident in the future of the group and its subsidiaries. Further growth has been demonstrated in the early months of 2026.
The key performance indicator used to assess the progress of the group is turnover per employee, which in 2025 was £346,611 (2024: £281,892).
The group’s achievements have gained external recognition in early 2026, being recognised as one of the most influential decking suppliers by Pro Landscaper magazine and receiving the Global Player award from Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, reflecting the combination of innovation, quality, and international growth that characterises the business.
The Millboard Company Limited
The principal activities of this subsidiary are the design, development, manufacture and distribution of innovative, resin-mineral decking and cladding, enabling customers to Live.Life.Outside.® Architects and designers for domestic, commercial and public projects frequently specify Millboard products, particularly those discerning customers and specifiers who demand the highest standards of performance, durability and environmental responsibility. Patents, registered designs and registered trademarks protect the company's principal products. Further information is available at www.millboard.com
Millboard continued to build on the revenue gains of previous years, with the Envello cladding range and the USA market experiencing particularly strong growth, a trend that has continued into 2026. Ongoing investment in production quality control, efficiency and consistency have supported continued improvement in gross profit margin.
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GROUP STRATEGIC REPORT (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
Significant growth opportunities remain, and the group has continued to invest in the people, marketing and infrastructure required to establish Millboard as a truly global brand.
The Millboard Company Limited is certified to ISO9001, ISO14001 and ISO45001.
Millboard Inc
Millboard Inc, the group's US subsidiary based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, continued to develop Millboard's presence in the United States during 2025. The US represents one of the group's largest addressable markets and remains a strategic priority for growth.
Millboard SAS
Millboard SAS continued to develop the French market during 2025, building on the foundations established since the entity's formation. France remains a key focus market for the group.
Millboard GmbH
Millboard GmbH, established in 2024, continued its sales and marketing activities in Germany and Austria during 2025, supporting the development of the Millboard brand in the region. Sales generated are fulfilled in Germany by either Millboard SAS or The Millboard Company Limited.
The group continues to invest in research and development, and has focused on product refinement, sustainability and manufacturing process improvement. During the year the Modello product range was launched to great acclaim and new colours were introduced across the cladding ranges, maintaining the breadth and freshness of the product offer.
The group has also been proactive in future-proofing its intellectual property position through the registration of a substantial portfolio of new patents covering both product composition and manufacturing process. These new patents provide significant protection for the group’s innovations across multiple jurisdictions. This multi-faceted approach ensures that the company can robustly protect its intellectual property and designs.
Employees
The group employed an average of 222 people (2024: 225) during the year across its operations. Recruiting and retaining capable, committed people remains central to the group's ability to grow, and considerable attention is given to ensuring the working environment and culture support that aim.
Training and development are provided to all employees from the point of joining and on an ongoing basis, drawing on both internal expertise and external provision to build capability across the business.
The group holds regular all-employee communication events to keep the workforce informed of business performance and strategic priorities. The directors consider open communication an important part of maintaining an engaged and motivated team.
Colleague wellbeing is taken seriously, with the business providing an Employee Assistance Programme.
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GROUP STRATEGIC REPORT (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
How the group maintains a reputation for high standards of business conduct
The group's approach to business conduct is rooted in its four core values: Empowerment, Performance, Integrity and Care. These are not aspirational statements but practical standards that inform how the business operates day to day, from the way it treats its people to the way it engages with customers, suppliers and the wider community.
The group’s vision is to Live.Life.Outside.® enabling people to effortlessly enjoy the outdoors, by creating safe, low-maintenance products that allow our customers to focus on what truly matters: creating memorable moments, meaningful connections and joyful experiences.
The group takes its compliance obligations seriously across all jurisdictions in which it operates. The group holds accreditation from the Fair Tax Foundation and the Living Wage Foundation, reflecting a broader commitment to responsible business that goes beyond minimum legal requirements.
Health and safety
The health and safety of employees and all those affected by the group's activities is a board-level priority. The group operates on the principle that safety is a matter of choice, not chance, and this shapes both its culture and its processes. All injuries and incidents are investigated thoroughly, with root causes identified and corrective measures put in place to prevent recurrence.
All employees have access to the Employee Assistance Programme, providing confidential support on welfare and mental health matters. Defibrillators are installed at the headquarters and production sites.
The group welcomes inspection from independent external bodies as a means of verifying its legal and compliance position. The outcomes of those inspections feed into the group's annual Health, Safety and Environment plans, which are subject to regular board review.
Fostering the group's business relationships with suppliers, customers and others
The group maintains close working relationships with its key suppliers, paying within agreed terms and agreeing forward supply schedules where appropriate. Supplier due diligence has been strengthened during the year, with more structured assessment of supply chain partners covering financial stability, ethical trading standards and regulatory compliance. These relationships and the rigour applied to them are considered an important part of operational resilience, particularly as the group continues to scale internationally.
The group's Information Technology function has continued to modernise and consolidate its systems during the year, migrating file servers and software to cloud-based platforms to improve security, resilience and efficiency. Standardising systems across the group is an ongoing priority as the business grows internationally. Cybersecurity remains an area of active management, with regular employee training in place to maintain awareness and reduce exposure to threat.
Understanding the need to act fairly between stakeholders of the group
The directors understand the need to act fairly between stakeholders of the group. They receive regular key performance indicators, attend board meetings and receive minutes of those meetings.
One of the strategic goals of the group is to create long-term financial security and stability for employees, owners and other stakeholders.
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GROUP STRATEGIC REPORT (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
Considering the impact of the group's operations on the community
The directors consider the impact of the group's operations on the community. The majority of the group's employees live in the area surrounding its premises. Millboard's products enhance many public areas and are frequently specified for spaces open to the public.
The group makes significant donations to UK registered charities. Employees are also encouraged and supported in their own fundraising initiatives.
The group is required to report under SECR due to legislation introduced in 2018. Disclosures relate only to The Millboard Company Limited as that is the only entity within scope. Information relevant to SECR is included below:
We have calculated our carbon conversion using the government conversion factors for company reporting of greenhouse gas emissions. Efforts continue across the group to reduce its environmental impact, with initiatives underway to increase the use of renewable energy.
The group's production processes are carried out in accordance with an environmental licence issued by the local government authority, which includes regular onsite testing and monitoring.
Sustainability
Sustainability is embedded in the group's planning and operations rather than treated as a separate workstream. The group's electricity supply is 100% backed by renewable energy certificates, and the group continues to work with suppliers and advisers to reduce the environmental impact of its manufacturing processes and improve the lifecycle credentials of its products.
The group has obtained Environmental Product Declarations for its principal manufactured products and has added FDES to this as an equivalent for the French market.
During the year the group achieved Ecovadis Silver accreditation, reflecting an independently assessed standard of performance across environment, labour, ethics and sustainable procurement. Product environmental credentials are communicated to customers and specifiers through Ethy badges, providing accessible, verified sustainability information at product level.
The group has submitted a Communication of Progress to the UN Global Compact, reaffirming its commitment to internationally recognised principles of responsible business.
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GROUP STRATEGIC REPORT (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
A significant proportion of the group's customers operate in the construction and related sectors. The group is therefore exposed to risks inherent in that market, including cyclical fluctuations in construction activity, movements in currency exchange rates, supply chain disruption, input cost inflation, competitive pressure and increasing regulatory requirements. The ongoing uncertainty in international trade and geopolitical conditions adds a further layer of complexity, particularly for a business with growing international operations.
The group carries a warranty provision in the financial statements representing its best estimate of the cost of meeting future claims. The provision covers all claims notified prior to the approval of this report and a further amount assessed against the likely incidence of claims arising over the remaining warranty periods in force. The directors consider the provision adequate and the group remains fully committed to honouring its warranty obligations.
The directors keep the group's risk profile under active review. Notwithstanding the uncertainties outlined above, they retain confidence in the group's strategic direction and its ability to manage the challenges ahead.
Financial risk management objectives and policies
The risks faced by the group are kept under continuous review. The principal financial risks are those of cash flow, credit and liquidity.
Cash flow risk
The group funds its operations primarily through retained profits, supplemented where appropriate by borrowings to support expansion or capital investment. The directors are aware that the group's sales have a seasonal dimension, which gives rise to a cyclical working capital requirement that is actively managed throughout the year. This is gradually being softened by changing sales profile and increase in international revenues.
Credit risk
The group's principal financial assets are bank balances, trade receivables and stock. Exposure on liquid funds is limited given that counterparties are banks with strong credit ratings. Trade receivable exposure is spread across a broad customer base, the majority of which carry good credit ratings. The group holds credit insurance against the risk of significant bad debt and operates disciplined credit screening and cash collection processes.
Liquidity risk
The group's objective is to maintain sufficient liquid resources to meet its obligations as they fall due, limit exposure to interest rate movements and align the repayment profile of any external borrowings with anticipated future cash flows from trading.
Future plans
The group has clear plans to make fuller use of its production capacity in support of continued sales growth, alongside ongoing development of the product range. Brand investment is a priority, as is the continued development of international markets. The USA remains the single largest strategic opportunity given the scale of the addressable market, with France and Germany representing important near-term growth priorities as those operations mature.
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GROUP STRATEGIC REPORT (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
Statement by the directors in performance of their statutory duties in accordance with s172(1) Companies Act 2006
The directors confirm that in making decisions during the year ended 31 December 2025, they have acted in the way they consider would be most likely to promote the long-term success of the company for the benefit of its members as a whole, having proper regard to the matters set out in section 172(1)(a)-(f) of the Companies Act 2006 and the interests of the group's wider stakeholders.
The board is mindful of both the Companies Act and the UK Corporate Governance Code. The directors' intention is to act responsibly and to ensure that management operates the business to high standards of conduct and governance. Strategic decisions are taken with a view to their long-term consequences, including for employees, suppliers, customers, the environment and the communities in which the group operates.
Subsequent events
There are no material post-balance sheet events.
This report was approved by the board and signed on its behalf.
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DIRECTORS' REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
The directors present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025.
The principal activities of the group were the design, development, manufacture and distribution of timber-free decking, cladding, and other innovative products for the garden and outdoor realm. The principal activity of the company is that of a holding company.
The profit for the year, after taxation and minority interests, amounted to £2,282,049 (2024: loss £5,374,909).
A dividend of £5,000,940 was paid in the year (2024: £988,282).
The directors who served during the year, and up to the date of signing this report, were:
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DIRECTORS' REPORT (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
The group have prepared cash flow forecasts covering the period to December 2027 in assessing the group's ability to continue as a going concern. These forecasts have been sensitised to reflect key assumptions, including turnover growth by region, cost inflation across raw materials, labour and overheads, working capital movements, and planned capital expenditure. A reverse stress test was also performed to identify the combination of adverse events that would need to occur for the group to exhaust its available resources, and the directors consider such a scenario to be remote. Having considered the results of this analysis, together with the resources available to the group, the directors are confident that it is appropriate to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing these financial statements.
The directors have included a business review within the Strategic Report. Also included in the Strategic Report are details for the future development of the company, investment in research and development, the principal risk and uncertainties, SECR reporting and a review of the key performance indicators as assessed by the directors, in accordance with section 414C (11) of the Companies Act 2006.
The auditor, Grant Thornton UK LLP, was appointed during the period and will be proposed for reappointment in accordance with section 485 of the Companies Act 2006.
This report was approved by the board and signed on its behalf.
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF DOUGLASS JOINT HOLDINGS LIMITED
We are responsible for concluding on the appropriateness of the directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the group's and the parent company's ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify the auditor’s opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our report. However, future events or conditions may cause the group or the parent company to cease to continue as a going concern.
In our evaluation of the directors’ conclusions, we considered the inherent risks associated with the group's and the parent company's business model including effects arising from macro-economic uncertainties such as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, we assessed and challenged the reasonableness of estimates made by the directors and the related disclosures and analysed how those risks might affect the group's and the parent company's financial resources or ability to continue operations over the going concern period.
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF DOUGLASS JOINT HOLDINGS LIMITED (CONTINUED)
Conclusions relating to going concern (continued)
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 the 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.
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the 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.
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF DOUGLASS JOINT HOLDINGS LIMITED (CONTINUED)
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF DOUGLASS JOINT HOLDINGS LIMITED (CONTINUED)
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF DOUGLASS JOINT HOLDINGS LIMITED (CONTINUED)
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.
Senior Statutory Auditor
for and on behalf of Grant Thornton UK LLP
Statutory Auditor, Chartered Accountants
Birmingham
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2025
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION (CONTINUED)
AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2025
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the board and were signed on its behalf by:
The notes on pages 23 to 50 form part of these financial statements.
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COMPANY STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2025
The company has taken advantage of the exemption allowed under section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 and has not presented its own Statement of Comprehensive Income in these financial statements. The profit after tax of the parent company for the year was £5,399,362 (2024: £1,041,088). The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the board and were signed on its behalf by:
The notes on pages 23 to 50 form part of these financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
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