Portman Finance Group was established in 2007 and is now one of the UK’s largest privately owned finance brokerages. Portman is growing rapidly, doubling in size over the last 18 months and having secured almost £1bn in funding for over 12,000 SMEs since its inception. Ben Laidler, Chief Commercial Officer at Portman, saw an opportunity for growth in the short-term loan market and established the relationship with MaxCap in 2020.
Ben explains: “Portman works with businesses in every sector that have a range of finance requirements and secure their funding from a panel of over 45 lenders. However, in recent times we have seen increasing demand for short-term loans and felt the need to add another specialist short-term lender to our panel. We wanted more options for our customers and a flexible approach. Having explored the lender market, we felt MaxCap was able to fit the bill.”
“What we like about MaxCap is the personal and flexible approach, aligning with our own ethos of ‘personal and professional business finance’. Flexibility is important to us. When we have a client that requires something out of the ordinary, the team at MaxCap is always available to discuss options. They are empathetic to the needs of individual businesses and will work with us to find a way of structuring deals that give our customers what they need, whilst working for both MaxCap and Portman.”
Portman work with customers from entertainment to construction, beauty to farming, providing finance for hugely profitable multi-million turnover businesses right through to start-up ventures. Ben adds: “It was important that we had a partner who could support Portman’s customers right across the spectrum of the UK economy. We have worked with MaxCap to secure funds for engineering firms, breweries, residential care homes, recruitment consultants, garages, leisure facilities and even to buy taxis.”
“We have strong personal relationships with the MaxCap team. Whether we’re discussing start-up capital, a need to bulk-buy stock, buying other directors out of a business, or an investment to shore-up a new contract, we have found the team to be professional and always available. It’s easy to pick up the phone and have a good conversation. MaxCap’s speed of service is also really helpful. It’s possible for a loan to be proposed, underwritten, signed and paid out in 24 to 48 hours, which can be extremely beneficial for customers.”
Ben continues: “MaxCap has a higher degree of flexibility and a slightly different attitude to the underwriting process than some lenders who can be more restrictive. Whilst our relationship with MaxCap is young compared to many on our panel, we have been very pleased with the outcomes for our customers so far. We see a lot of scope for growth and look forward to building on this relationship over coming years.”
To find out more about Portman Asset Finance please visit portmanassetfinance.co.uk
About MaxCap
MaxCap has established itself as a leading provider of business loans for small and medium sized businesses in the UK. With a combined 30+ years of industry experience we are able to identify the requirements of each business and determine the finance that best suits their needs to thrive and grow. We work hard every day to provide small businesses with fast access to capital. Our dedication to excellence coupled with our advanced technology enables easy and accurate decision making that allows an application, approval, and funding to all take place the same day.