It's worth noting that one can buy companies 'off the shelf', i.e. companies incorporated some time ago, from many formation agents. I have to say, in the UK at

It's worth noting that one can buy companies 'off the shelf', i.e. companies incorporated some time ago, from many formation agents. I have to say, in the UK at least it's about as easy to see whether a company is trading or dormant and to see its filings as it is to check its date of incorporation, so I'm not sure how much extra utility it provides.