A Manchester-based company is on course to boost turnover this year and increase headcount by 50 per cent after securing an asset based lending (ABL) package from Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance.
Dale Gaucas Heywood Road Surfacing Contractors provides groundworks and road surfacing services for civil engineering firms, including Rochdale-based J Cooney and the Casey Group.
The company was established in 2006 after Dale Gaucas, who has 11 years of experience in the industry, used money generated from the sale of his house fund the launch.
Operating from premises in Middleton, the firm has built up a strong reputation and is increasingly securing larger contracts.
By focusing on work available in the public sector, the firm is now on course to take turnover to £2.3 million this year – an increase of two-thirds on last year’s £1.4 million turnover.
To support its growth and boost cash flow, management approached Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance, which provided an invoice discounting facility to enable the firm to advance the value of its sales ledger and bridge the gap between completing projects and receiving payments from customers.
In 2010 the company is planning to add to its workforce of 12 by hiring a further six employees to service its growing number of contracts.
Dale Gaucas, managing director of Dale Gaucas Heywood Road Surfacing Contractors, said: “Operating a new business in a changing economy has been very challenging, but my workforce and I have worked very hard to deliver a professional service and forge strong relationships with local companies.
“When tendering for larger contracts, it is important to have a strong cash flow in place in order to fund the upfront costs of materials required – as these initial costs can drain a business of working capital.
“By securing a tailored factoring facility from Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance, we can support our growth by utilising a flexible lending solution that will boost cash flow levels as and when needed, meaning we can always service demand for new business.”
Tariq Bourdouane, regional manager for Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance, said: “Dale’s knowledge and expertise of the road surfacing sector has helped his company to thrive despite a tough trading environment.
“The business has successfully adapted to the changing market place by widening its range of services and focusing on public sector and utilities work.
“Dale Gaucas Heywood Road Surfacing Contractors is a great example of a firm using ABL as a flexible funding option to support rapid growth.
“It advances the value of the company’s existing assets to quickly inject cash into the business when needed, enabling management to seize growth opportunities as they arise.”
September 2009