Chorley footwear firm scaling up after £25k investment from NPIF II

Outdoor Footwear Distributor Scales Up Following NPIF II backing Ahead of Autumn/Winter Trading Peak

Chorley footwear distributor Dynamic Distribution Group (DDG) has received £25,000 of investment from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund to help the firm support its growing order book.

Founded in November 2024 by Lee Budworth, DDG holds the authorised UK and EU distribution rights for BOGS Footwear, part of NASDAQ-listed Weyco Group Inc.

The investment will support seasonal working capital and stock purchasing ahead of DDG's key Autumn/Winter trading period.

Lee previously represented the BOGS brand for around 12 years through his agency business, before relaunching UK and European distribution when Weyco stepped back from the territory.

Since launching, DDG has built UK and EU ecommerce platforms, established wholesale relationships with retailers including Avenue 85, Welly Warehouse and Hirst Footwear, and secured a confirmed AW26 wholesale order book of around £80,000. The business operates through third-party warehousing and fulfilment partners in the UK and Netherlands, keeping overheads lean while it scales.

The NPIF II funding will support one new full-time role at the business, alongside safeguarding existing employment, as DDG expands wholesale distribution across the UK and Europe, grows its direct-to-consumer ecommerce channel, and onboards additional marketplace partners.

Lee Budworth, director of Dynamic Distribution Group, said: "Rebuilding UK and European distribution for a brand I know inside out has been a great opportunity, and this funding comes at exactly the right point as we gear up for Autumn/Winter. It gives us the flexibility to meet demand from our retail partners and keep building momentum across both markets."

Jonathan Nelson, investment manager at River Capital, said: "DDG has done the hard work of building solid operational foundations across two markets in a short space of time. This funding is about giving the business the stock and working capital headroom it needs to capitalise on a strong forward order book heading into its busiest trading period."

The £660m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIFII) covers the entire north of England and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.

The purpose of NPIFII is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses. NPIFII will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for the North’s smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance.