First focus
Construction
Project histories connecting estimates, tenders and specifications with variations, delivery and final accounts.
Estimate → decision → recorded outcomeA new chapter for business archives
The work is finished.
The records may still
have a future.
Whether a business has closed or its projects are simply complete, we help UK liquidators, insolvency practitioners and business owners explore whether its records could be licensed or sold as data, with construction first.
A new specialist initiative by Richard McKay
CONTEXTInitial
inputs
inputs
WORK HISTORYDecisions
& records
& records
RESULTOutcomes
& checks
& checks
Experience, recorded.Illustration of potential records
A conversation forLiquidators & insolvency practitionersTrading businesses & retiring ownersAuthorised archive holders
Where we’re looking
Construction first.
Experience across industries.
Practical knowledge is recorded in many kinds of business. These are the areas we are exploring, with each opportunity assessed on its own records, context and permissions.
Engineering & manufacturing
Specifications, design changes, work orders and quality records linked to production results or validation checks.
Specification → change → quality checkMaintenance & repair
Service records connecting reported faults and initial tests with diagnosis, work carried out and a matched retest.
Fault → diagnosis → repair → retestLogistics
Manifests, dispatch records and delivery evidence, including how shortages, delays or other exceptions were handled.
Dispatch → exception → resolutionCommerce & operations
Quotes, orders, stock movements, returns and service cases that connect an operational decision with what happened next.
Order or case → action → outcomeThese are examples of records we may assess, not a claim that a market or buyer exists for every archive. Suitability depends on the contents, condition, provenance, available rights and restrictions. Please do not send underlying files for an initial discussion; a non-confidential description is enough.
What makes records useful
The connection matters
as much as the document.
A record is easier to understand when it can be connected to the work around it. We look for the context at the start, the decisions along the way and evidence of the result.
The starting point
What was known, requested or expected at the time.
- Briefs, specifications and initial observations
- Estimates, quotations or incoming tests
- Dates, versions and source information
The work & decisions
The evidence behind a change, intervention or response.
- Revisions, approvals and work records
- Diagnosis and supporting correspondence
- Exceptions and how they were handled
The recorded outcome
What the available evidence shows happened next.
- Costs, completion or delivery records
- Quality checks, retests and resolutions
- Gaps, failures and unresolved cases
Records do not need to show perfect decisions; gaps and failures are part of the picture. Any further preparation would be agreed with you separately.
Our approach
Start with a description.
Take it one step at a time.
A short conversation can establish whether a closer look is worthwhile. We will be clear about what is known, what needs checking and what would have to be agreed.
Tell us what exists
Describe the business, approximate dates, types of records, format and your authority to discuss them.
Assess the potential
Trace where records came from, what they cover and how they connect. Consider gaps, outcomes and possible buyer requirements before deciding whether a closer review is worthwhile.
Review the boundaries
Look at ownership, third-party rights, confidentiality, personal data and relevant restrictions.
Agree any next step
If suitable, discuss a controlled review, preparation and the possible structure of a licence or sale, including who the parties would be.
No price, buyer, sale or legal clearance is guaranteed. Any transaction would need its own due diligence, agreed terms and appropriate professional advice.
For officeholders & advisers
Another asset worth considering.
If you are dealing with a construction, engineering, manufacturing, repair, logistics or commercial business, we can explore whether its records merit assessment as a potential data asset. We recognise that your authority, record-retention obligations and the interests of the estate need to be considered first.
Email about an estate’s archiveFor owners, sellers & retiring founders
Years of work. A possible new use.
You can start a conversation while a business is trading, preparing for retirement, restructuring, closing or already closed. Years of work may leave useful records behind. We can explore a possible licence or sale, including who the parties would be and what questions need answering, without assuming the business or its whole archive is for sale.
Email about your business recordsBefore we begin
Sensible questions.
Straight answers.
The aim is a useful first conversation, with no assumption that an archive is saleable or cleared for use.
Do records need to be neatly organised?
No. A description of the current state is enough to start. Tell us whether the archive is digital, paper or mixed, and whether records can be connected to individual projects, jobs, repairs, orders or cases. Any digitisation, extraction or preparation would need to be assessed and agreed.
Can we talk while the business is still trading?
Yes. The first conversation can concern a defined set of records from an active business, as well as a legacy archive. Any scope, access, permitted use and practical arrangements would need to be agreed before a detailed review or transfer.
Who might use this information?
The intended market includes AI labs, research teams and specialist data buyers seeking real-world business and industrial context. Linked records may support tasks such as finding evidence, understanding a workflow or assessing a decision and its outcome. A possible use does not establish permission: the exact material, recipient, purpose and licence would need review and agreement.
Does owning a business mean I can sell all its data?
Ownership of files does not by itself resolve every right or restriction. Contracts, confidentiality, intellectual property, personal data and other obligations may affect what is possible. Your authority and the proposed scope need to be reviewed with appropriate professional advice.
Should I send an archive or sample now?
Please begin with a non-confidential description only. Do not email customer files, employee information, passwords or the archive itself. If further review is appropriate, scope, permissions and a suitable transfer method can be agreed first.
Is McKays a valuation or insolvency advisory service?
This initiative is focused on exploring possible data-licensing or sale opportunities for business records. It does not provide a formal valuation, legal opinion or insolvency advice. Please continue to use your own professional advisers where those services are needed.
Is a sale or licence guaranteed?
No. We assess each opportunity individually and cannot promise a buyer, value or transaction. Any proposed licence or sale, including who the parties would be, would need to be set out in agreed written terms.
An informed first conversation
Tell us a little about
the records you hold.
A brief, non-confidential description is all we need to begin.
- Your sector, type of business and role
- Approximate dates and types of records
- Whether records are digital, paper or mixed
- Any known restrictions or practical deadlines
Please do not attach archive files, or include credentials or sensitive personal information at this stage. Any detailed review would be arranged separately.