News

Penryn based independent publishing company, Red Planet Publishing Limited, has received an £80,000 loan from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund (CIOSIF).

Red Planet Publishing, established in 2013 by founder Mark Neeter, who brings to the table a wealth of experience gained from BBC local radio as well as national stations including Radio Caroline and behind the scenes at Capital Radio, before turning his love of music to journalism.

The result is an eclectic mix of informative music books encompassing a broad collection ranging from Ska, Mod and Punk through to Bob Dylan, The Smiths and Queen. Offering readers a range of books from the comprehensive Dead Straight Music Guides, to the more succinct Pocket Guides.

Mark comments: “Red Planet specialises in books about music. We operate in a competitive market and sell through stores across the UK, Europe and the USA. Part of the funds are to allow us to develop direct sales with our audience through a new website supported by social media. We aim to grow as an independent business and provide employment in Cornwall and support the local economy. In turn, as a business, more sales earn higher margins online, allowing us to maximise our potential and bring out more exciting new books. Thanks to the support of CIOSIF we can further develop, grow brand awareness and cover the printing costs for expanding our range of exciting new books.”

The deal was handled by SWIG Finance who are working with fund managers The FSE Group to deliver the small business loans part of the fund. Mike Chapman, CIOSIF Business Manager at SWIG Finance, added: “Mark has a really interesting range of books, good branding and a great business model. It is always a pleasure to be able to support local businesses and to help them achieve their growth plans. I wish Mark every success on the next stage of his journey.”

The £40m Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Investment Fund provides debt and equity finance from £25,000 to £2 million to help growing small businesses across the region. It has been established by the British Business Bank in partnership with the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and is operated by appointed fund managers The FSE Group.

Lloyd Brina, Senior Manager at the British Business Bank, said: “Red Planet is looking to grow the market for its specialist titles with direct to consumer digital marketing and this deal is a good example of how CIOSIF loan funding can help small businesses reach the next stage in their development.”

LEP non-executive director John Acornley, who chairs the CIOSIF Advisory Board, said: “Mark has established a successful niche publishing business with an impressive catalogue of titles and export sales. We’re delighted that CIOSIF is able to support his growth ambitions.”

For more information about the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Investment Fund including how to apply, please visit www.ciosif.co.uk or follow the fund on Twitter at @CIOSIFBBB2

A Surrey based company operating in the high-end custom bicycle market, has secured £100,000 from the Enterprise M3 (EM3) Expansion Loan Scheme, to fund activity that will promote further growth of the business.

The recently merged brands now operating as Spoon Group Ltd specialise in bespoke bikes, designed for the rider’s physiology and the riding the customer wants to do, with the highest standards of fit, fabrication and finish. The bikes are precision built carbon fibre or steel frames, designed in house, then fabricated one at a time by hand, before being finished to the highest possible standard at their base in Surrey.  Alongside their performance bike range is a curated range of quality clothing and accessories.

Following a re-organisation of the company, keen cyclists Chris Houghton and Andy Bonsall who have been involved with the Wyndymilla brand for a number of years, were appointed as Non-Executive Directors in 2019.

The merger with bespoke steel brand Spoon Customs has increased their product offering and the expansion loan will help both brands to grow. Spoon Customs was established by Andy Carr and recently won two awards at Europe’s largest handmade bike show, Bespoked 2019.

Andy Carr joined the merged entity, Spoon Group Ltd, as CEO and now that the acquisition is fully complete, he is looking to develop both house brands and exploit the growing market potential.

The EM3 loan will enable the team to execute their vision and strategy for Spoon Group Ltd as they operate and grow their stable of custom, high performance cycling brands, including a move to a larger premises, and recruitment to expand the team with a focus on research and development. The company has already developed their custom paint business, recently rebranding that arm of the business to Gun Control Custom Paint, designed to give their award winning paint services wider appeal to both trade and private customers.

Chris Houghton, Non-Executive director of Spoon Group Ltd commented: “We were very pleased to receive this Enterprise M3 Expansion Loan. These are very exciting times as we look to expand through acquisition and re-focus the business. Our product is incredibly niche in that we create unique bikes for the individual. The team are all keen cyclists, fuelled by passion. We have been a part of the Wyndymilla journey for numerous years now and are very much looking forward to what the future holds for our brands and the business. We are excited to welcome Andy Carr on board and for the road ahead.”

James Edwards, Senior Fund Manager at The FSE Group, which manages the EM3 Expansion Loan Scheme on behalf of Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), comments: “We first supported Wyndymilla back in 2016 and it is great to see the progress the company has made since the start of our relationship. It has been a complete pleasure to be able to assist the business again as it continues to evolve and to help them reach the next stage of their cycling journey. We wish the team every success for the future.”

Kathy Slack, Director, Enterprise M3 LEP, comments: “Across our region EM3 is involved in projects which are focused more than ever before on encouraging active travel, so the opportunity to help this unique business grow has come at exactly the right time, particularly as the nation is focused on delivering a green economic recovery. The passion for cycling from the team at Spoon Group Ltd is really evident and it’s always a pleasure to play a part in turning a hobby into a flourishing business.“

The EM3 Expansion Loan Scheme is part of the Enterprise M3 Funding Escalator, £10million initiative funded by Enterprise M3 LEP. The escalator, which also includes a short term trade loan scheme and an equity growth fund, provides eligible companies with loans and equity funding between £50,000 and £300,000 for activities that will deliver high-growth and employment opportunities across the EM3 area.

For more information about Wyndymilla or Spoon Customs, visit: www.wyndymilla.com or www.spooncustoms.com

A £40m investment fund to help growing small businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is boosting business performance and changing attitudes to finance, according to a new report.

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund (CIOSIF) was set up by the British Business Bank and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to increase access to finance for small and medium sized businesses across the region.

It is designed to help businesses start up, invest and grow and aims to increase financing options for smaller businesses including access to venture capital which has traditionally been weak in Cornwall and Scilly with a lack of choice.

The British Business Bank commissioned economic development consultancy SQW to carry out an early stage assessment of CIOSIF in its first full year of operation.

It found that businesses in receipt of CIOSIF funding had shown a marked improvement in performance and productivity including:

• new highly skilled jobs and upskilling of existing skills,
• more investment in research, development and innovation; and
• the launch of new products and services.

All of the portfolio businesses had increased employment, with a quarter of the jobs created being in the top 25% of income – or above £35,600 a year, compared to Cornwall’s average annual wage of £21,000.

Without CIOSIF investment, most businesses surveyed said projects would have been delayed or not happened at all, and they said CIOSIF played an important role in helping them secure match funding from other sources.

Significantly, 85% said engaging with the fund had made them more confident about raising funding from private sector sources in the future, which is seen as an important part of changing attitudes towards external finance and developing a sustainable market.

The fund’s latest equity investment was £140,000 to support the growth of Penryn-based agri-tech business Glas Data as part of a larger funding round which included investment form both existing and new private investors. It will allow the business to recruit new staff including software engineers, a project manager and customer services employees.

John Acornley, a director of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP and chair of the CIOSIF Advisory Board, said: “The fund has quickly established itself as an important part of the financial landscape in Cornwall and Scilly, driving job creation, business growth and innovation. Without CIOSIF a lot of the activity it has helped to fund simply would not have happened.”

Ken Cooper, Managing Director, Venture Solutions, at the British Business Bank, said: “This report shows that the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund is having a positive impact on businesses and it is starting to impact on the way entrepreneurs consider their growth options.

“There is growing knowledge and awareness among businesses about the different finance options available, especially when it comes to equity funding where demand is growing strongly.

“CIOSIF can be a catalyst for attracting new finance providers into Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the longer term. That’s important if we are going to translate finance into growth and achieve the levelling up in access to finance that the region needs.”

CIOSIF provides debt and equity finance from £25,000 to £2 million to help growing small businesses across the region. It is supported 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.

For more information about CIOSIF including how to apply, please visit www.ciosif.co.uk  or follow the fund on Twitter at @CIOSIFBBB2

Jungle Creations Ltd, an East London (Tower Hamlets ) social-first digital media business, has secured a £1,000,000 growth loan from the Greater London Investment Fund (GLIF) which is managed by The FSE Group, to expand its operations.

In July 2014, the then 23 year-old creative entrepreneur, Jamie Bolding set to work creating and developing his vision: to build a social-first ecosystem where people and brands can thrive. His vision centred around providing entertaining and informative social first content, marketing services which focus on creating and distributing unrivalled branded content and to grow commerce opportunities through these ventures. 

Fast forward six years and Jungle Creations now owns and operates six media brands that live on social, each focusing on a different niche, including fitness, crafting, food and beauty and with a collective following of over 115 million people cross platform.  The company’s videos have been watched by over 465 million people worldwide reaching over 20% of the world’s social media users. This year Jungle Creations was named Branded Content Team of the Year for the third year in a row by The Drum’s Online Media Awards and its commerce operation has gone from strength to strength.

Jamie Bolding , Founder & CEO of Jungle Creations Limited commented: “Jungle Creations has firmly established itself as a leading producer of original and branded video content. With a team of over 100 and a business which has grown so quickly, our GLIF loan will help us invest in the continued expansion of our team, with the aim to nearly double it by the end of 2021. Strengthening our three core business arms, this loan will create exciting opportunities for us and for London.”

David Booth, Senior Fund Manager for The FSE Group, who managed the £55 million GLIF debt fund on behalf of Funding London, comments: "It was a pleasure to work with Jamie and his senior team. The business demonstrates strong commercial traction in a fast-growing market. We are delighted that due to the success of Jungle Creations, part of the GLIF loan will enable Jamie to expand his team to help the business achieve their growth plans."

Maggie Rodriguez-Piza, CEO at Funding London, adds: “Part of the 'Greater London Investment Fund' (GLIF) core mission is to support job creation in London. With the investment from GLIF, Jamie will be able to expand the business, creating sustainable jobs and having a positive impact on the capital’s economy.  We are delighted to support ambitious entrepreneurs like Jamie, though their next stage of growth.”

GLIF is a £100m initiative to help address the SME finance gap in Greater London, promoting economic growth through enterprise and an inclusive and sustainable economy. £55m of debt funding is available, via loans between £100,000 and £1m, to early-stage and established SMEs looking to scale-up and realise their growth ambitions. GLIF is financed through the European Investment Bank (EIB), European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), London Waste & recycling Board (LWARB) and Funding London’s Legacies.

Background

In 1995, David Bide was working in the electronics industry when he spotted a gap in the lighting market. Fast forward 25 years and that gap was the beginning of an incredibly successful LED business.

Based in Great Dunmow, North Essex, Armadillo LED of which David is the Managing Director, his sales pipeline is full of exciting installation projects, even in the current climate.

Armadillo Lighting LED – Providing a clear, well-lit vision

Back in the 90’s and even into the early part of the noughties, there was a lot of mistrust around LED lighting and its capabilities. Lighting designers were expensive and the luminère source didn’t always deliver the required results leaving streets or buildings adequately lit but the actual source of the light was not great.

Armadillo Lighting set out to differentiate their business from competitors with a strong desire to give trust back to companies who wanted to incorporate LED lighting into their infrastructure.

They set out to provide not just a cutting-edge range of interior, exterior and street-light LED applications, but a complete package which would meet the increasing demand for innovative electronic and solid-state lighting products. By providing creative, cost effective LED design solutions which offer substantial energy savings helping clients to achieve carbon reduction targets.

Finance East (FE) shines a light at the end of the tunnel on Armadillo’s growth plans

Establishing a new business can have its ups and downs with business plans, projected revenues and cash-flow all having to be carefully monitored and adjusted accordingly.

In 2010, David was looking to further grow and expand his business but was finding it difficult to source funding. He approached Finance East (FE) based in Ipswich to see if the business would be eligible for term debt finance.

FE is The FSE Group’s regional funding organisation for the six counties of the East of England, providing an alternative source of term debt finance supporting high-growth businesses.

Stuart Ager, Head of Funds at Finance East comments: “I first met David 10 years ago and was delighted to be able to secure debt funding of £75k for his business. This enabled them to grow to the next level, investing in research & development, market entry activities for new products and sales delivery. Off the back of their expansion success, we were pleased to be able to award a further £75k loan secure in the knowledge their pipeline was strong. Having secured some lucrative large installation projects within the Capital, which included: The Shard, Tower Bridge, St Pauls Cathedral and Putney Bridge, Finance East were further able to support Armadillo with an additional three business growth loans. It has been a real pleasure working with David, Bart and his team, watching them grow over the last decade literally lighting up our skylines. It hasn’t always been straightforward and there have been challenges en route. David has always had the vision, faith and confidence in his business coupled with his strong product offering I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds. We wish you every success as you continue to grow.”

David Bide, Managing Director at Armadillo commented: “We really could not have grown as significantly as we have without the help of Stuart at Finance East. It wasn’t always a smooth road, there were many twists and turns along the way with some difficult financial decisions when quite simply, we couldn’t afford the repayments. Stuart always gave good, sound financial advice and helped us enormously. It is fair to say that we wouldn’t be where we are today without Stuart and Finance East.”

Lighting up London and beyond

The ethos of Armadillo is clear to see: listening to their clients’ needs and always putting them first.  Sourcing the correct product solution for their application, supported with technical advice, backed up with educational literature.

David has a dedicated, hardworking team of individuals who can apply their lighting knowledge to the three divisions of the business: LED solutions for transport, sports stadiums and architecture.

Next time you’re taking a tube to cross London, whilst staying at a Marriott Hotel to embark on some sight-seeing, taking in  The Tate Modern, or a river boat passing Tower Bridge, the LED lighting is all thanks to the expertise of Armadillo.

Their lighting solutions are not just restricted to the Capital. Having secured a contract with Welsh Rugby, you will clearly be able to admire the floodlit pitch in Rhyl. With the Plymouth Life Centre and Manchester’s Royal Infirmary having benefited from David’s LED lighting, the future is bright for this dynamic business.

The East of England Regional Trade Finance Loan Scheme, which is funded by UK Government, provides up to £250,000 of loan funding to established businesses based in the region that show strong growth potential and are seeking funding to deliver that growth.

If you have any upcoming projects which Armadillo may be able to support you with you can contact them directly or visit their website:

Enquiries: sales@armark.com or sportlighting@armark.com

Tel: 01371 876969

Web: https://armadillolighting.com/