Image caption: Sam Streckert of FW Capital and Ian Vermeulen of Iota Enterprises at his business premisses in Middlesborough. Photo: John Millard/UNP
11th August 2020
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In just six weeks FW Capital has invested over £7.5m in Northern businesses through NPIF loans backed by CBILS from NPIF – FW Capital Debt Finance, which is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.
FW Capital provides loans between £100k and £750k to SMEs that are experiencing lost or deferred revenues, leading to disruptions to their cash flow backed by the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). Both new and existing customers are eligible to apply.
Since FW Capital launched their NPIF loans backed by CBILS, the funding has helped 24 businesses through two funds across the North of England, with a focus on the North West, Cumbria and Tees Valley. Businesses have received the money into their accounts in as soon as 9 working days from the application date, with the average being just 17 days.
The loans went to SMEs in a variety of sectors, including engineering, manufacturing, construction, health and education.
Since 2010, FW Capital has invested more than £154m into businesses and created or safeguarded more than 7300 jobs. It has expanded to a team of over thirty in offices across the North.
Gary Guest, FW Capital’s Fund Director in the North West, said: “FW Capital has provided a crucial and swift lifeline to SMEs across the region through our NPIF loans which are backed by CBILS.
“It is heartening to have already reached the £7m milestone in just six weeks. We look forward to continuing to support SMEs by helping them access the finance they need during these challenging times.”
Joanne Whitfield, FW Capital’s Fund Director in Tees Valley, said: “Covid-19 presented significant challenges on an unprecedented scale for many businesses so we did everything in our power to get the funding out as quickly as possible. Investing over £1m on average per week, is testament to the team’s dedication to ensuring SMEs can access the funding they need to support their recovery from the pandemic.
“FW Capital is a long-term growth partner with teams across the region ready to offer practical support to both new and existing customers. Now as we begin to return to our new normal, we will continue to support them in this way, ensuring that together we safeguard jobs and protect our economy.”
One business that recently benefitted from an NPIF loan backed by CBILS is Stockport Village Nursery, which received funding to enable the business to immediately make adaptations in-line with new social distancing rules.
The loan ensures that all the children can return to class sizes no larger than 16 as specified by the guidelines, in addition, it will provide working capital headroom in case there is a shortfall in child places due to more parents working from home.
Managing Director David Carroll said: “The safety of our staff and children is paramount. At full capacity we can accommodate up to 120 children, but we need to make adaptations so that we can reduce class sizes, giving comfort to parents.
“We approached the bank for a loan but found it difficult to get a response. We were fortunate a family member, Mike Berger, has worked with FW Capital before and he introduced us. He supported us with the financial model and other documents we needed to prepare.
“The entire investment process only took around three weeks. There was constant communication throughout the process and there was never any doubt that we would receive the money which really took the pressure off.”
Grant Peggie at British Business Bank, said: “FW Capital has been key in the delivery of NPIF loans backed by CBILS, helping us to provide vital support to businesses across a number of sectors following the pandemic. To deliver £7.5m in CBILS loans over a period of just six weeks is a fantastic achievement and it’s great to see Northern businesses receiving support from NPIF-backed CBILS loans have already proven a valuable tool in addressing regional disparities particularly during Covid-19.”
Operating from the British Business Bank’s Sheffield head office, the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund provides a mix of debt and equity funding (£25,000 to £2m). It works alongside ten Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), the combined authorities and Growth Hubs, as well as local accountants, fund managers and banks, to support Northern-based SMEs at all stages of their development.
The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.
Delivered by the British Business Bank, via NPIF – FW Capital Debt Finance, CBILS will support the continued provision of finance to UK smaller businesses during the Covid-19 outbreak.
The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) is managed by the British Business Bank on behalf of, and with the financial backing of the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and industrial Strategy (BEIS).
FW Capital Limited is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as a small authorised UK Alternative Investment Fund Manager under firm reference number 506719
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