Grant Thornton's Funding Solutions team can help businesses access over 50 alternative sources of growth capital. While traditional bank financing has decreased, alternative sources like asset-based lending, leasing, and equity providers have emerged to fill the gap. Grant Thornton leverages relationships with these alternative funders to develop robust financing proposals and negotiate terms to help clients achieve an acceptable cost of capital for growth.

1. Accessing capital for growth
- Funding Solutions
There are over 50 alternative sources of growth capital that
Grant Thornton’s Funding Solutions team can help you access

2. Raising finance does not have
to be a barrier to growth
Raising finance can be a real barrier to growth –
but for growing medium sized businesses, there
are reasons to be optimistic with the entrance into
the market of a significant number of alternative
sources of debt and equity financing.
Medium sized businesses looking to raise capital to fund
growth may currently face a restriction in the availability
of finance from traditional sources of funding due to the
requirement of banks to recapitalise their balance sheets
following the credit crunch.
However, the emergence of a significant number of alternative
sources of finance is filling the gap left by banks - alternative
sources such as asset based lending (ABL), leasing and consumer
finance providers, unitranche and mezzanine lenders and equity
providers like BGF.
Therefore financing opportunities do exist for businesses
seeking growth and can be realised with the right support to
help navigate the diverse and complex funding market and
deliver the right strategic funding solutions required.
At Grant Thornton we are experienced in helping
management teams, corporates and private shareholders
of mid-market businesses access capital for both organic
and acquisition led growth.

3. Where we can help How we can help
• Are you a medium sized business looking to raise between We support growing, medium sized businesses secure
£5-25m of capital to fund growth – whether it be asset alternative sources of finance to fund growth by:
backed funding, acquisition finance or to fund a change in
− leveraging our relationships with over 50 funders to
business operations/strategy to realise growth?
identify the best sources of finance available
• Do you have a compelling business plan – but your existing
− developing strong financing propositions to increase the
bank lender is reluctant to provide funding for growth or
chances of securing funding
only willing to do so at a much higher cost of capital?
− negotiating terms to achieve an acceptable cost of capital
• Are you a privately owned/family run business reluctant to
seek equity finance? − project managing the funding process to ensure a
satisfactory conclusion in a timely manner.
• Are you an FD/CEO who wants to better understand your
full range of funding options and what alternative sources
of finance and funders you can access?
• Do you have under leveraged assets which can be more
effectively financed?
What we do Value to client
Leverage our relationships with over 50 funders Identify potential sources of finance available,
to gauge appetite to invest from a large pool of funders, that best match
your funding requirements
Develop a funding strategy with business plan Produce a robust business plan and model that
and fully integrated financial operating and will stand up to funders’ scrutiny as part of a
funding model clear funding strategy
Package financing proposition to potential Market the financing proposition accordingly
funding providers to increase the chances of securing
alternative finance
Negotiate terms Creating a competitive environment within
the funding market - helping to achieve an
acceptable cost of capital and associated terms
Project management Managing the overall funding process in
order to reach a satisfactory conclusion in a
timely manner

4. Case studies National Funding
Solutions key contacts
David Ascott
Client Solution Partner, London
Grant Thornton worked closely with T 020 7728 2315
Swanbridge Hire & Sales SHS to prepare the business for an
Limited (SHS) E david.p.ascott@uk.gt.com
investor and spoke to a targeted number
A specialist provider of high
of potential investors – ultimately Ian Wilson
specification industrial scaffolding
helping to secure £5.4 million of funding Partner, Birmingham
services primarily to the petrochemical
from BGF. T 0121 232 5151
and utilities sectors.
E ian.p.wilson@uk.gt.com
Outcome
Assignment
With the £5.4 million investment Stephen Hammell
Grant Thornton were engaged to
SHS plan to grow the business by Director, Leeds
advise SHS on raising growth capital in
strengthening their core capabilities, T 0113 200 2550
order to support the future expansion
developing a broader range of services
of the company. SHS had succeeded E stephen.hammell@uk.gt.com
and expanding into new sectors and
in establishing itself as a key supplier
geographies.
in highly regulated environments, but Mark Naughton
needed investment in order to take Director, Bristol
advantage of the opportunities available T 0117 305 7712
to them. E mark.c.naughton@uk.gt.com
Tim Blois
Client Solution Director, Cambridge
Grant Thornton facilitated the
Quattro Group negotiation and structure of the deal,
T 01908 359582
London based provider of plant-hire E tim.m.blois@uk.gt.com
which included a single evergreen
services to the rail industry.
plant and machinery facility, an invoice
Andrew Stubbs
discounting facility and a £6 million
Assignment Associate Director, Manchester
mezzanine loan.
Grant Thornton were engaged to T 0161 953 6923
refinance the existing Hire Purchase E andrew.stubbs@uk.gt.com
Outcome
(HP) facilities. Prior to engaging
Reducing the number of providers
with Grant Thornton the business David Forbes
allowed the management team more
had approximately 30 separate HP Manager, London
time to focus on the business. The
providers. Understanding the business T 020 7184 4347
proposed single plant and machinery
and the market in which it operated E david.forbes@uk.gt.com
facility made more effective use of
were crucial first steps in determining
the asset base and enhanced monthly
the right funding structure for the Chris Baker
operating cash flow. In addition, control
transaction in a difficult market. Manager, Reading
over the entire fleet gave the eventual
lender more comfort that their position T 0118 983 9609
would be secure. E chris.baker@uk.gt.com
Client Solution
After preparing a business plan and
SGX Sensortech financial model, we were able to
Provider of sensor and detector devices
negotiate terms with Baird Capital
for environmental, health and safety and
Partners for the equity. As the
materials analysis applications.
transaction had an MBI element and a
lot of the growth was international, we
Assignment
knew the retail banks would struggle to
Grant Thornton were engaged with
fund the debt, and an alternative funder
a management team to execute a
may be required.
management buy-in (MBI), which
included raising debt and equity finance
Outcome
to fund the acquisition.
Leveraging our relationship with
Beechbrook Capital, Grant Thornton
were able to negotiate mezzanine
finance with a small equity strip which
allowed the transaction to complete in
May 2012.

5. Accessing capital for growth
Top 10 tips
ONE The new funding landscape calls for a new approach
TWO Don’t just rely on traditional funding sources – they may have dried up!
THREE Define your funding requirement carefully – quantum,
duration and nature (ie what exactly is being funded –
capex, working capital, investment expenditure)
FOUR Consider the optimum match to meet this requirement
FIVE Develop a robust business plan to support your funding
requirement
SIX Market the plan to your existing funders – build on
existing relationships but explore alternatives
SEVEN Sell the plan to new sources as a debt raising project
EIGHT Prepare for due diligence – anticipate and tackle weak
areas in the proposition
NINE Contingency planning is key – we all need a Plan B!
TEN Negotiate the new landscape to secure best terms
Why Grant Thornton?
• There are many alternative sources of finance that Grant • We have strong contacts with each of these funders, with
Thornton’s Funding Solutions team can guide you to a clear understanding of their approach and investment
increasing your chances of securing finance - we have criteria – which means we can help produce a robust and
comprehensive coverage of: marketable funding strategy and proposition
− 10 asset based lenders
− 7 leasing & consumer finance providers • We can find the right type of finance, the right funder
− 8 retail banks and the right terms in a timeframe meeting your funding
− 34 alternative funders – including senior, mezzanine objectives and requirements - so your growth plans are
or other debt instruments, and minority equity not put on hold
providers
• As the leading Corporate Finance adviser to the mid-
market completing more deals than anyone else we have
unrivalled funding experience in this market

6. Corporate Finance contacts
If you would like to discuss how Grant Thornton can help you achieve your strategic objectives please contact a member of our
team or email us at corporatefinance@uk.gt.com
For more information on Grant Thornton International member firms, please visit www.gti.org
Belfast Ipswich Peter Dawson Milton Keynes
Charlie Kerlin Darren Bear T 020 7728 3197 Tim Blois
T 028 9031 6510 T 01223 225673 E peter.dawson@uk.gt.com T 01908 359582
E charlie.kerlin@uk.gt.com E darren.m.bear@uk.gt.com E tim.m.blois@uk.gt.com
Martin Goddard
Birmingham Leeds T 020 7728 2770 Mark Clement
Alex Hyde Stephen Hammell E martin.a.goddard@uk.gt.com T 01223 225604
T 0121 232 5245 T 0113 200 2550 E mark.clement@uk.gt.com
E alex.s.hyde@uk.gt.com E stephen.hammell@uk.gt.com Trefor Griffith
T 020 7728 2537 Mike Hughes
Ian Wilson Ian Marwood E trefor.a.griffith@uk.gt.com T 01908 359581
T 0121 232 5151 T 0113 200 1513 E mike.hughes@uk.gt.com
E ian.p.wilson@uk.gt.com E ian.marwood@uk.gt.com Tim Hansell
T 020 7865 2793 Steve White
Bristol Will Oxley E tim.l.hansell@uk.gt.com T 01908 359667
Mark Naughton T 0113 200 1582 E steve.j.white@uk.gt.com
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E mark.a.taylor@uk.gt.com T 020 7865 2626
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Cambridge Mustafa Abdulhusein Darren Bear
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E darren.m.bear@uk.gt.com E james.robson@uk.gt.com
Liverpool Oxford
Mark Clement Mark Steel Philip Secrett Wendy Hart
T 01223 225604 T 0151 224 0833 T 020 7728 2578 T 01865 799938
E mark.clement@uk.gt.com E mark.steel@uk.gt.com E philip.j.secrett@uk.gt.com E wendy.e.hart@uk.gt.com
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T 01223 225630 Colin Aaronson T 020 7728 2635 Bob Alsop
E geoff.davies@uk.gt.com T 020 7728 2942 E hemal.shah@uk.gt.com T 0118 983 9637
E colin.p.aaronson@uk.gt.com E bob.alsop@uk.gt.com
Cardiff Michael Thornton
Chris Burgess David Ascott T 020 7728 2644 Paul Etherington
T 02920 347565 T 020 7728 2315 E michael.j.thornton@uk.gt.com T 01753 781070
E chris.j.burgess@uk.gt.com E david.p.ascott@uk.gt.com E paul.md.etherington@uk.gt.com
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Chelmsford Stephen Baker Anthony Booth Wendy Hart
Darren Bear T 020 7728 3100 T 0161 953 6307 T 01865 799938
T 01223 225673 E stephen.baker@uk.gt.com E anthony.booth@uk.gt.com E wendy.e.hart@uk.gt.com
E darren.m.bear@uk.gt.com
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Edinburgh T 020 7728 2589 T 0113 200 1582 T 0118 983 9612
Neil McInnes E gerry.d.beaney@uk.gt.com E will.m.oxley@uk.gt.com E duncan.lamb@uk.gt.com
T 0141 223 0618
E neil.mcinnes@uk.gt.com Philip Bird Ali Sharifi Sheffield
T 020 7728 2071 T 0161 953 6350 Ian Marwood
Gatwick E philip.bird@uk.gt.com E ali.sharifi@uk.gt.com T 0114 262 9703
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E rupert.rawcliffe@uk.gt.com T 020 7728 2133 T 0161 953 6471 Southampton
E anuj.j.chande@uk.gt.com E phil.whaley@uk.gt.com Paul Stout
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Neil McInnes Alan Dale E paul.stout@uk.gt.com
T 0141 223 0618 T 020 7865 2777
E neil.mcinnes@uk.gt.com E alan.dale@uk.gt.com Grant Thornton also has offices
in the following locations:
Kettering
Northampton
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