Do you support start-ups or sole traders in manufacturing?

Yes. We match start-ups and sole traders in UK manufacturing to lenders that actively underwrite businesses under 12 months of trading and unincorporated structures. The route differs from established Ltd company finance: expect smaller ticket sizes (£5,000 to £100,000), shorter terms (12 to 36 months), and a personal guarantee from every owner or director.

For a sole trader manufacturer with under 2 years of trading, the most reliable routes are: asset finance against tooling, machinery or vehicles you are buying (the asset is the security, not the trading entity), Start Up Loans Company facilities up to £25,000 at fixed 6.2% per annum, and unsecured fintech term loans from iwoca or Tide loans for borrowers with a clean personal credit file.

For a start-up Ltd company in manufacturing, the same routes apply with the addition of Funding Circle once you have 2 years of filed accounts. Specialist asset lenders like Time Finance and Aldermore underwrite first-year manufacturers against new equipment with a 10% to 25% deposit and PG.

What does not work in the first 12 months: invoice finance (most providers require 6 months of invoice history), commercial mortgages (almost always need 2 years of accounts), and large unsecured term loans over £50,000 without strong personal credit. See our first-year trading guide and our manufacturing sector page for the full UK matrix.