Supporting sustainable growth and creating jobs
Caple supports environmental specialists with access to growth funding
Caple, the alternative SME credit specialist, has supported land remediation, ground and water decontamination and waste management specialists Dunton Environmental, with a £1.7m eight-year unsecured loan.
As a result of the funding, Dunton Environmental expects to grow by 15% annually over the next four years and will create 10 to 15 jobs a year.
SMEs such as Dunton Environmental typically have difficulties raising money without assets to put up as security to banks, making personal guarantees or diluting their ownership by issuing equity.
Caple is the first in the UK to offer access to unsecured lending based on the future cashflows of the SME. The business requires no collateral or personal guarantees as security. Caple loans complement existing bank lending.
Caple originates loans through a local partner network of accountancy and business advisory firms. Alexei Garan from corporate finance firm Shaw & Co advised Dunton Environmental.
Dominic Buch, co-founder and managing partner of Caple, said: “Successful SMEs such as Dunton Environmental need funding for growth. However, given the nature of the sector in which it operates and a lack of assets to use of security, the business could not secure additonal bank funding.
“In an asset-light economy, this creates a barrier to growth and may push businesses to issue equity instead of raising debt. Our deal highlights the flexible nature of unsecured loans and how Caple can help SMEs achieve their growth objectives.”
Neil Roe, CEO of Dunton Environmental, said: “We were impressed with Caple. The Caple team showed a real interest in wanting to understand the nuances of our business and supporting us as a leading sustainability company and growing SME.
“Caple is unique in the UK and tailored the deal to provide the flexibility we required. The deal enables us gear up for significant growth and create new jobs while developing sustainable solutions to the reuse of landfill waste in the UK.”
West midlands-based Dunton Environmental is a market leader in the design and implementation of innovative soil, ground and water remediation services. The business currently employs 90 people and clients include large blue-chip companies such as Crest Nicholson, Vinci, Willmott Dixon and Persimmon Group among others.
The business also operates two fixed waste treatment facilities in the midlands which aim to treat and recycle contaminated waste for recovery back into the construction sector.
The business will use the loan to refurbish its newly acquired headquarters and develop an industry-wide training centre.
In collaboration with Wolverhampton University, Dunton Environmental will aim to train up to 100 young people in the waste management techniques needed to help solve UK industrial waste.
Alexei Garan, head of debt advisory at Shaw & Co and who advised Dunton Environmental, said: “This long-term unsecured loan is a great fit for Dunton Environmental in setting up the next chapter in the business’s already impressive growth story. Shaw & Co is proud to have helped the firm with its commitment to permanent environmental remediation and helping solve the problem of industrial waste in the UK.”
The loans Caple facilitates are part of BNP Paribas Asset Management’s SME Alternative Financing direct lending platform, which enables SMEs to access funding from institutional investors. BNP Paribas Asset Management aims to provide €1bn per year in funding to SMEs across Europe and €400m in the UK.