Image caption: Picture: Lorne Campbell / Guzelian Hilary Watson (BEF) with Jonathan Gilbert (Defib Machines), and Mark Wilcockson (NPIF) pictured in Leeds, West Yorkshire. PICTURE TAKEN ON FRIDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2018
17th July 2020
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Defib Machines, which supplies fully serviced and managed defibrillators to businesses for immediate use in the event of a cardiac arrest, has scaled its business nationwide and more than doubled its staff since receiving £100,000 from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.
Defibrillator machines are becoming commonplace in businesses and public areas across the country and, as a result, the Leeds-based business has enjoyed rapid expansion in recent years.
Defib Machines is currently one of the largest suppliers in the UK and its client base includes Marshalls Motor Group and Gala Bingo, making respectively over 100 sites nationwide heart safe. The firm offers machine installation, onsite training and refresher training for businesses, alongside regular best in class servicing and maintenance to ensure the defibrillators are always in full working condition to save lives.
A cost effective and revolutionary approach quickly gained the attention of large multi-site nationwide businesses. At £1-a-day the company answered the issue of how an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) program could be managed over all sites of a company spread across the UK.
With increasing demand, Defib Machines sought a £100,000 investment from NPIF – BEF & FFE Microfinance, managed by BEF & FFE and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund in early 2019.
Investment has been crucial for the company’s growth and bid to make life saving equipment available for all nationwide. Initially funding was used to expand and train Field Technicians across the UK. As the business continued to grow, funding was used to create a new CRM system with bespoke software to cater for the growing needs of large orders and clients. Further funding has allowed for the company to grow it’s accounting and dedicated admin staff to manage a growing client base.
The company plans to continue its expansion of services across the country, with an opportunity for rapid growth in the coming years as more businesses identify and understand the importance of having defibrillators in the workplace.
Jonathan Gilbert, Director of Defib Machines, said: “With cardiac arrest being the UK’s leading cause of death, we are seeing increased demand for lifesaving defibrillator machines across the country.
“Since we first approached the team, BEF and NPIF have believed in our passion and drive to make Defib Machines the ‘go-to’ in this unique sector. The biggest impact the investment has had is that we are now the supplier of choice for multi-site customers in all sectors and industries across the UK, and we have been able to expand our operations nationally. The future is exciting as we look to provide our services to even more businesses with vital machines.”
Sean Hutchinson, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank said: “NPIF’s support has helped Northern businesses grow and realise their potential, and so it’s encouraging to see Defib Machine’s nationwide growth since the NPIF investment. The economic benefits it has had in Yorkshire, creating jobs both locally and nationally, is helping to create a more prosperous economy. We look forward to seeing the business expand further.”
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.
Business Enterprise Fund is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 726237)
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