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FW Capital reaches £5 million milestone for NPIF II funding

Press release 19 September 2024

FW Capital is celebrating a key milestone after investing over £5 miliion of NPIF II - FW Capital Debt Finance into 14 businesses across the North since the launch of NPIF II earlier this year.

The investments have been across a wide range of sectors from manufacturing to education with an average deal size of £350,000.

Liverpool-based, Prime Transport Planning is one firm that is making significant investment in new technology and its senior team after receiving a six-figure funding boost from from NPIF II – FW Capital Debt Finance which is managed by FW Capital and is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.

Established in 2016 by David Schumacher, Prime Transport Planning is one of the UK’s leading independent transport planning consultancies, working with developers, architects and local authorities. The NPIF II funding is supporting recruitment plans to strengthen Prime Transport Planning’s senior leadership team and its next generation of talent through the creation of new graduate roles.  Further investment is being made in new hardware, software including CAD technology and updating the branding and marking materials.

David Schumacher, Director and Owner at Prime Transport Planning said:

Increased demand for green energy, additional housing, warehousing and sports and leisure activities means we are operating in a buoyant market. The new Government will also bring potential changes to planning policies that will support the delivery of projects in these sectors, so it’s crucial we are best placed to support our existing and new clients.

We are leading the field with our expertise and credentials and have already welcomed two new members of the team using the NPIF II - FW Capital funding. We plan to recruit more members of staff to strengthen our team further, demonstrating our commitment to growth. The funding has made this much easier. Carol’s friendly approach has been a massive help and she’s always been available at the end of the phone. We’re in a great position to take the business to the next level.

Carol Bolland, Investment Executive at FW Capital said:

It’s great to provide the investment Prime Transport Planning need to realise their growth ambitions. The increased demand for their consultancy expertise has fueled this growth and it is a great example of a dynamic Liverpool business leading their field and expanding their customer base. - Placeholder Name Occupation / Organization

Sue Barnard at British Business Bank, said:

Since the launch of NPIF II the demand for funding has been encouraging and it is good to see FW Capital reach this important milestone. We’re looking forward to increasing our support to businesses across the Northern Powerhouse region.

Firms like Prime Transport Planning are a fantastic example of how NPIF II is helping support expansion. The increased demand for transport planning services has resulted in a period of high growth for Prime Transport Planning. The business is now looking to expand the team to drive further growth, and the NPIF II funding will allow it to bolster both its senior leadership and graduate recruitment – a brilliant example of a business using the Fund to unlock potential and create jobs in the regional economy.

NPIF II - FW Capital Debt Finance can provide loans in the NPIF II area with a primary focus on the North West regions of Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside.

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 Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II aims to build on the success of the initial fund, with the purpose of driving sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the North of England.

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II 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.  FW Capital provides debt finance options from £100,000 to £2million to businesses based in the North West of England.

Further Information

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Notes to editors

FW Capital is a fund management company currently managing UK-based funds of £390.8m

For further information visit fwcapital.co.uk/about-us/performance-and-impact.

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II)

NPIF II is a £660 million investment fund to support the growth of small and medium-sized businesses across the North of England launched in March 2024.

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II is one of a series of new Nations and Regions Investment Funds launched by the British Business Bank delivering a £1.6 billion commitment of new funding to drive sustainable economic growth.

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II offers a range of commercial finance options with loans from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million. The fund covers the entire North of England including Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, Lancashire, Yorkshire & the Humber, Cheshire & Warrington, Cumbria, County Durham, Tyne & Wear, and Northumberland.

It aims to tackle an identified funding gap between the North and South of England and increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for smaller businesses.

FW Capital manages the £75 million NPIF II – FW Capital Debt Finance fund, part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II  on behalf of the British Business Bank. Finance of £100,000 to £2 million is available to businesses in the North of England with a focus on Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside.

FW Capital is part of the DBW Group one of the UK’s largest SME investors. The DBW Group manages funds of in excess of £1.9 billion For further information on the Group visit developmentbank.wales. 

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