Metalico specialises in manufacturing large format storage for museums, archives and libraries and has supplied its bespoke designs to the Natural History Museum, Tate Britain, the Ashmolean Museum and the National Museum of Scotland.
It is using the money to invest in ne wbranding, including a website, and plasn to increase further its marketing activity and update equipment and IT systems.
The firm, based in Corby, has received the money thanks to Enterprise Loans East Midlands and finance from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund, supported by the European Regional Development Fund.
- Pictured: Metalico managing director Jonathan Hall.
Managing director Jonathan Hall said: “Metalico has been trading for more than 30 years and our resellers supply to not only the UK but all over the world. Therefore, the likelihood of seeing our cabinets in any museum or library is pretty high!.
“We’ve had some pretty interesting jobs over the years – a particular recent highlight was a bespoke cabinet we made for the Natural History Museum to store some extra-large fossils – but we felt like the business needed to step up its game in order to remain competitive.
“I’d been following the news around the MEIF for a while so once the loan fund was announced we got in touch. We are using our loan funding to look at marketing and branding, but also improving production and product development.
“We really liked the approach that Enterprise Loans took with the loan application, especially the panel interview which was made up of really interesting people from a marketeer to an accountant.
“The team’s input really helped shape our business strategy and finalise our application and we’ve already used some of the money we borrowed to implement their ideas.”
Through Enterprise Loans – the fund manager responsible for the delivery of the MEIF Small Business Loans fund in the East and South East Midlands – Metalico has been supplied with £100,000 in funding.
Victoria Copestake, business development manager at Enterprise Loans, said: “Metalico is well established in the market, but it did need a brand refresh – its marketing materials in particular needed an extensive update.
“The business works within a very niche area, but I’m confident there is lots of room to grow and attract new clients which is where the investment into updating marketing, branding and improving production will really show its worth.”
The MEIF project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the ERDF as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.
SEMLEP Growth Hub manager Malcolm Johnston said: “Manufacturing businesses in our area make a major contribution to improving overall economic growth. It’s very important therefore, that we’re able to support businesses in this sector and help them reach their potential.
For more information on Enterprise Loans visit www.first-enterprise.co.uk or follow @1st_Enterprise on Twitter. For further information on the MEIF please visit www.meif.co.uk or follow @MidsEngInv.