Business loans for manufacturers

Ardent Capital Group brings the same method to every client: execution and strategy, clear advice for smart lending, and long-term growth. That means the right lender, structure and timing, straight advice so you borrow with confidence, and today's deal built toward where you want to be tomorrow. We are specialists in helping business owners secure finance to purchase their own property, and we understand the complex structures that often sit around it, including multiple trusts, holding companies and self-managed super funds. Through that work we also understand what the business needs from its cash flow, and where an overdraft or line of credit fits for working capital. For a manufacturer, where value sits in machinery, materials and a debtor ledger rather than property, that means the desks among our 60-plus bank and non-bank lenders that understand how manufacturers trade. We stay in the business as it grows, well past drawdown. Every figure is subject to serviceability, lender appetite and approval.

It depends on how quickly you need it and what you are willing to offer as security. Unsecured facilities are assessed mainly on trading strength and can be arranged in days, which suits a limit of $100K to $500K. Secured facilities, backed by property or plant, support larger amounts and price better, and make sense once you are funding a major purchase or an acquisition. Most established operators end up with a mix, and we shape which sits where.

It depends on your trading, your structure and the purpose, but lending here commonly runs from $100K to well into seven figures, and our range extends to $100M for larger operators. Machinery, materials and the debtor ledger can all support a facility, which often means more capacity than an owner assumes from the property position alone. The binding constraint is usually serviceability rather than security, and we shape the funding early so you know your number before you commit.

Yes, and the machine itself is normally the security rather than your home. CNC machines, laser cutters, moulding machines, packaging lines and materials handling can all be funded new or used, including imported machines. Terms are typically matched to the life of the asset, and established businesses can often be assessed on bank statements and BAS rather than full financials. Dealer and manufacturer finance programs are available too, and we compare them against a bank facility.

This is the most common reason manufacturers come to us, and it is a good problem. A large order means buying materials, running the floor and carrying work in progress for months before the invoice is even raised, let alone paid. A revolving line sized to your order book covers the build, and a receivables facility can advance 80 to 90 per cent of the invoice as soon as you raise it. Bring us the order early and we will structure around the build, subject to serviceability and lender approval.

No. Plenty of operators fund growth without touching the family home, either through unsecured facilities assessed on trading, or by securing against the equipment being purchased. Property security widens the range of lenders and structures open to you, so it is worth considering once you are borrowing well into seven figures. The choice is yours, and we will show you what each option costs before you commit.

An unsecured facility can often be approved within 48 hours and funded inside a week where the business is established and the BAS and bank statements are current. Secured facilities take longer, typically two to four weeks, because a valuation is involved. The practical advice is to open the limit before you need it, ideally when you are planning the spend rather than when the invoice is already due. Timeframes are indicative and subject to lender appetite and approval.

Yes. Many lenders assess established businesses on 6 to 12 months of bank statements and recent BAS rather than full year-end financials, which suits operators whose accounts lag the current run rate. It works best where the trading account shows regular receipts and the ATO position is current. If you have a payment plan in place, say so early, because several lenders will still proceed when it is disclosed and being met.

Yes, and it is a commercial property deal rather than a working capital one. A factory is rarely generic: power, floor loading, craneage and clearance are usually specific to your process, so owning the building you have modified is often the better position. Owner-occupiers can generally borrow a higher proportion of the purchase price than an investor would, and combining the purchase with machinery finance is common. Our commercial property team handles these end to end through our factory and manufacturing property loans service.

Yes. Imported machinery adds a deposit at order, a balance at shipment and a lead time that can run six months or more before the machine earns anything. Lenders that fund manufacturing understand that shape and can structure a facility that pays the supplier at the right points rather than expecting you to carry it. Trade finance can also sit alongside the equipment facility where materials are imported, subject to lender appetite and approval.

Most of the time, no. We are paid a commission by the lender once your facility settles. Where a deal requires significant preparation or involves unusual complexity, a small mandate fee may apply. We will always be upfront about this before any work begins.

Although we are based in Sydney, we service clients across all major Australian cities, including Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart, along with their surrounding regional areas. Wherever your business is located, we can arrange your finance.

Although our main speciality is property loans for business owners, such as a property loan for your factory, we also assist with CNC and manufacturing equipment finance and working capital. On asset finance, that covers machinery, plant and commercial vehicles. On working capital, we arrange business overdrafts, lines of credit, receivables facilities and cash-flow funding. We also arrange commercial mortgages if you are buying or refinancing your factory.