A Birmingham commercial maintenance specialist has rapidly grown its staffing levels and turnover having accessed funding for growth from finance provider ART Business Loans.
M & BG, which has its head office in Lightning Way, West Heath, has increased its head count from 45 staff at the time of its first loan in 2017 to 250, while turnover has more than doubled from £3m to £8m.
The senior management team at M & BG have recently taken out their third loan with Birmingham-based ART Business Loans, having used the previous borrowing to fund an acquisition and the purchase of new equipment.
M & BG provides grounds maintenance, commercial cleaning and site repairs for a range of public and private sector clients, including fire services, police forces, schools and the NHS.
The firm, which also has offices in Loughborough, Leicestershire, and since 2024 in Bristol, counts among its clients West Mercia Police and Warwickshire Police, housing associations Bournville Village Trust and Pioneer Group, plus Avon Fire and Rescue Service.
Phil Marsh, group managing director, says accessing finance through ART Business Loans has been integral to the growth of M & BG. “ART Business Loans have been brilliant to deal with as they are very practical and they are true to their word, always doing what they say they will do.
“We were first recommended to speak to ART Business Loans by our accountant as we were unable to access funding from traditional lenders. We have returned to borrow to fund the business growth, with further plans to nearly double in size over the next five years.
“We find the team very easy to deal with, as they have always taken an interest in the company and have procedures which are clear to meet the requirements around due diligence and legal undertakings. We would recommend them to other business owners as they are great people to deal with.”
ART Business Loans manager Martin Edmonds said: “We have been delighted to help M & BG realise their business growth plans, expanding their operation and creating employment opportunities.
"We are pleased that ART Business Loans has been able to establish a strong working partnership to regularly support their business needs. We have an ongoing dialogue around future opportunities and look forward to helping them achieve their goals.”
Lending to companies wanting to borrow between £10,000 and £250,000, ART Business Loans is a community development finance institution that has been serving the business community since its establishment in 1997 as Aston Reinvestment Trust to help alleviate poverty through enterprise. ART Business Loans has lent more than £40million to more than 1,800 customers, enabling them to create or protect more than 8,500 jobs.
The lender is supported by a diverse funding model that combines investment from the corporate and private sectors, with an investor base comprising philanthropic companies and individuals, as well as public and private sector sources, including high street banks.
ART Business Loans was recently allocated £7million under the British Business Bank’s Community ENABLE Fund to provide loans above £25,000 to underserved, smaller businesses across the West Midlands. The lender also receives funding through the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) via trade association Responsible Finance, matched by funding from ethical lender Unity Trust Bank.
