Australian lender acquires Sterling Trade Finance to boost funding options for UK SMEs
Australasia’s provider of SME working capital solutions, Scottish Pacific Business Finance, has acquired UK-based trade and debtor finance specialists Sterling Trade Finance Ltd.
The acquisition of STF, with its established, excellent reputation, will further expand Scottish Pacific’s distribution and product offering in the UK and will provide greater funding options for SMEs in manufacturing, wholesale, retail, distribution, import and export who are looking for trade and invoice finance solutions.
Scottish Pacific’s CEO Peter Langham and UK executive director Ed Bracey announced the expanded business will be known as Scottish Pacific Business Finance (UK) to reflect its broadened capabilities.
The business will be based in new Central London offices, with further expansion expected, including a presence in the north of England.
Peter Langham said Scottish Pacific’s UK Tradeline team has received many enquiries for broader funding solutions, such as those offered by STF.
Peter said:
“The acquisition of STF will allow our UK clients access to these solutions, to help grow their business.
“The acquisition will create a stronger supply chain finance business, so that Scottish Pacific is first choice for UK businesses wanting to increase their cash flow and achieve their aspirations.”
Ed Bracey said Scottish Pacific’s UK business has been rapidly growing its presence in the UK market for the past two years, with a strong sales performance focused on trade finance.
The Australian-headquartered Scottish Pacific has more than 1700 clients and handles more than
$AU14bn of invoices each year, supported by offices in the UK, China, Australia and New Zealand. It launched into the UK market in March 2015 to help UK SMEs fund their overseas purchases.
Scottish Pacific’s head of international finance Craig Michie said he was delighted that the founding directors of STF, Soheill Sarkoob (managing director) and Steve Pleace (operations director), would become part of Scottish Pacific’s UK team.
Craig said:
“With their combined 40 plus years of transaction-based funding experience (in invoice, export, import and stock finance), Soheill and Steve will strengthen our growing UK team. The acquisition will give us excellent capability and a broader product range, with our respective product ranges complementing each other.”
