How Lancashire firms are benefiting from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund

By Andy Traynor, senior investment executive, FW Capital

Being able to access investment is essential for ambitious businesses to have the best possible chance of realising their commercial goals.

Over the last year, companies in Lancashire have a new option available to them and it's one they've taken to with great enthusiasm.

Launched by the British Business Bank in February last year and managed by FW Capital, the £102m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF) offers loans between £100,000 and £750,000 to expanding businesses across North West England.

Businesses are using the money to buy new equipment, premises, staff, systems and product lines.

Lancashire-based businesses to already benefit from these loans include a Blackpool-based electrical wholesaler, a waste recycling centre in Fleetwood , and a Buckshaw Village-based firm that provides office plant displays and living wall installations.

We have been meeting businesses across Lancashire, identifying whether and how the fund can support their future growth.

We know there are many more firms in Lancashire that could benefit from this fund and we want to help as many of them as we can to scale up, succeed and create sustainable jobs.

Our message is clear, if you think we could help your business – get in touch.

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. For more information about Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, please visit www.npif.co.uk