Manufacturing finance
A manufacturer's money is tied up in three places at once: the machines, the material bought ahead of the order, and the invoice that is not paid until sixty days after the goods leave. Each has its own product and its own lenders. 31 of the 38 asset finance lenders on our panel fund factory plant, 20 invoice finance lenders fund the order book, and 32 commercial mortgage lenders will lend on the unit itself.
We arrange finance for UK limited companies, LLPs, sole traders and partnerships through the lenders that fund manufacturing plant, ledgers and premises, and we say which product fits which part of the problem before anything is submitted. Free to you, and nothing goes anywhere without your say-so.
The manufacturing panel in numbers
Distinct lenders on our panel with a live product for each feature.
31
of 38 asset finance lenders fund factory plant and machinery
31
fund printing equipment
31
fund green energy kit, such as solar on the factory roof
25
offer a VAT deferral on hire purchase
15
fund older machinery
19
consider a business that made a loss last year
15
of 20 invoice finance lenders fund a manufacturer trading under a year
32
of 45 commercial mortgage lenders lend on industrial units
Counts are distinct lenders on our panel with at least one live product matching the criterion, checked September 2026. Panel composition changes over time, and meeting a criterion is not an offer: every case is subject to the lender's own checks.
What decides a manufacturing case
The machine, and what it would fetch
A CNC centre, a press or a packing line from a known maker holds its value and finances readily. Bespoke tooling, software-heavy kit and anything only your factory can use is harder, because the lender is asking what it could sell the asset for if it had to.
Who owes you and how they pay
A ledger of trade customers on 30 to 60 day terms is what invoice finance was built for. A few large customers, retentions, or contracts with pay-when-paid clauses narrow the list of funders and are worth raising on day one.
Where the cash goes in the cycle
Material bought in month one, shipped in month three, paid in month five. Lenders want to see that cycle in the bank statements, and the product that fits is the one that pays out at the point the cash is short.
Energy and the building
Plant that cuts an energy bill, from solar to efficient compressors, is funded like any other asset. The unit itself is a commercial mortgage case, decided on the accounts and the deposit.
The panel behind this page
Manufacturing cases go to the 31 asset finance lenders that fund plant, the 20 invoice finance lenders, and the 32 commercial mortgage lenders that lend on industrial property, part of 200+ lenders across all products. That range matters more than any single rate: the lender that suits a five-year-old limited company with clean accounts is rarely the one that suits a seasonal business or a director with a past blip, and a broker with a shallow panel has to force your case into whichever box it holds.
Names you may recognise on the panel
Examples from our panel as at September 2026, not an endorsement of any lender and not the full list. We check criteria first and put your case only to lenders whose requirements you fit. The full panel by product is in our lender directory, and how we choose is set out on our how we work page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I finance a used machine, or one bought at auction?▼
Yes, from a shorter list. 15 of the 38 asset finance lenders on our panel fund older machinery and 10 will fund a purchase from a private seller, which is what most auction and dealer-less sales are. Expect an inspection or a valuation on anything old or specialist, and tell us before the sale rather than after. Figures checked September 2026; panel composition changes over time.
How is the VAT on a machine handled?▼
On hire purchase the VAT is normally due with the deposit, which on a large machine can be the biggest single cash call in the deal. 25 lenders on our panel offer a VAT deferral, so the VAT is paid a quarter later, after you have reclaimed it. On a lease the VAT is charged on each rental instead, which spreads it but means it is never reclaimed in one go.
We have a big order and not enough cash to make it. Which product?▼
Usually invoice finance, sometimes both. The 20 invoice finance lenders on our panel advance most of each invoice as soon as it is raised, which funds the gap between shipping and being paid. The gap between buying material and shipping is working capital, funded by an unsecured loan or, for a business taking card payments, a cash advance. Trade finance, which pays your supplier directly against a confirmed order, is a separate product outside the eight categories on our panel.
Our last year was a loss. Does that end it?▼
Not on the asset side. 19 asset finance lenders on our panel will consider a business that made a loss in its last accounts, and 14 accept adverse credit on the business, because the machine is the security. Invoice finance lenders underwrite your customers rather than your profit. An unsecured loan after a loss is harder; that list is short and the questions are about what changed.
Can we buy the unit we make things in?▼
32 of the 45 commercial mortgage lenders on our panel lend on industrial units and factories, owner-occupied or as an investment. The deposit is usually 20 to 30 percent and the lender will want to see the business can afford the mortgage on its own accounts. There is a separate page on industrial unit finance with the rate spans.
Do you work with sole traders and partnerships in manufacturing?▼
Yes. We work with sole traders and partnerships as well as limited companies and LLPs for business loans, asset finance, invoice finance and merchant cash advances. Property-secured lending (commercial mortgages, bridging, development and buy-to-let) is for limited companies and LLPs only. Lender criteria differ by structure, so tell us how you trade and we will go to the right part of the panel.
Is manufacturing finance regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority?▼
Lending to a limited company or LLP for business purposes is generally unregulated commercial lending. CapExpand Ltd (FRN 1060885) is an Appointed Representative of White Rose Finance Group Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 630772). We work with UK limited companies, LLPs, sole traders and partnerships.
Related guides
Important information
CapExpand Ltd (FRN 1060885) is an Appointed Representative of White Rose Finance Group Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 630772). We are a credit broker, not a lender, and we do not provide financial, tax or legal advice. We work with a panel of lenders whose particulars are available on request. If a deal completes the lender pays us a commission, at no cost to you; different lenders pay different amounts under different models, and we will tell you the amount for your deal on request. All lending is subject to status, valuation where applicable and the lender's own checks.
Counts describe the products on our panel, not an offer; a lender's own valuation of the asset, its reading of the ledger and its own checks decide any individual case. We do not arrange regulated mortgage contracts.
Registered office: Pure Offices, Lake View Drive, Annesley, Nottingham, NG15 0DT. Company No. 14433858.
Tell us what the money is for
The machine, the order or the unit, how long you have traded, and who your customers are. We say which product and which lenders fit each part.