FINANCE
LLOYDS HELP PRODUCTION
Paul Green Senior Relationship Manager, Manufacturing, South East SME Banking Food manufacturer invests in new production lines with Lloyds Bank support
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food manufacturer based in St Leonards-on-Sea has purchased two new production lines to increase its capacity and service more orders, with the support of a £240k facility from Lloyds Bank. BD Foods makes sauces, dressings and other condiments for clients operating in the aviation, hospitality, leisure and retail sectors. With the support of a hire purchase facility from long-term banking provider Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance, the business bought two new filling lines. This funding means that the company can spread the cost of the machinery over an agreed time period so that it doesn’t affect its working capital. The first new production line fills sauce and dressing bottles for airlines such as British Airways. The new machinery means the
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“We have worked with Lloyds Bank for a number of years, and their support of our plans and understanding of the logistics involved when purchasing European machinery has been instrumental in the smooth implementation of our new facilities.”
business can integrate the filling, capping and labelling process in one go, doubling the speed at which it can complete orders. The second new line fills larger product lines including yoghurt, table sauces and peri dip for clients including Center Parcs, Waitrose and Marriott. The new equipment can fill six bottles at once where the older machinery was only able to do one at a time. The business’ investment has already enabled it to secure a new contract with hospitality business Whitbread, and it is looking to build on this expansion with a factory extension later in the year. This will create up to 40 new job roles, growing its existing workforce of 84 employees. Established in 2001, the business achieved year-on-year growth of 24%, and has an annual