A Nottinghamshire-based rubber products manufacturer has reported sustained growth after receiving a £250,000 loan from NPIF – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia and is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF). J-Flex provides innovative rubber solutions in over 50 global markets. It has expanded operations in sectors including electric vehicle manufacturing
Responsible investing is increasingly at the forefront of investors’ minds, and, while ESG provides the framework to support responsible investment, Mercia wanted to take this commitment further. Through a bespoke impact fund, Mercia is actively creating a strategy to support businesses that seek to create positive change and societal benefit. With this approach, Mercia is
Sheffield Steel remains the international benchmark for quality, and South Yorkshire owes much of its pre-eminence as a metal manufacturing hub to its geology: iron ore and coal were mined from the hills surrounding the city, and nearby quarries provided the sandstone that allowed grindstones to sharpen blades. At the outset of the industrial revolution,
Deep Tech is now a fashionable sector for investment. Since 2015, global investment in Deep Tech has increased 20% year-on-year[i]. This is not because the visionary ability of entrepreneurs has improved – there have always been big-picture thinkers – but the Deep Tech ecosystem around them has changed. Critical resources like financing, skilled workers and
History often informs our actions. Today, we see many similarities with the 1970s – high inflation, energy price hikes, climbing interest rates pushing up national debt and full employment – albeit conceivably temporary in nature. With indicators pointing towards a sharp economic levelling with the real possibility of a near-term recession, regardless of whether you
At one time, businesses had to prepare for the digital age. Now, the newest vanguard of technological development is the metaverse. In October 2021, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the social media behemoth would be rebranded as Meta, indicating the company’s intention to dominate the emerging metaverse market. A metaverse is a Virtual Reality
Mercia sat down with experienced financial professional Daniella Wainwright to hear what her experience of working as portfolio/plural finance director in Yorkshire-based SMEs is really like. Next month, Dani will be joining one of our portfolio companies Sock Monkey Studios as their part-time finance director. Ahead of that, Dani spoke to us about why pursuing
Our Portfolio Resourcing Team is dedicated to partnering sector and industry experts with Mercia portfolio companies. Successful investment is always built around a team and product, but an experienced non-executive working with the skill-sets of our portfolio businesses’ management teams enhances overall shareholder value. Here’s a roundup of the appointments made across
Menopause matters to business strategy. It sits across talent, business continuity, culture, risk and retention, it’s a central pillar in ESG strategies and businesses are speeding head-long into a real crisis that will affect growth and exit returns it they don’t act now, as menopausal women are the fastest growing demographic in the workplace.
Mercia Asset Management PLC is pleased to announce completion of a £20.1million third-party investment round into nDreams Limited, currently the Group’s largest direct investment by fair value. The investment comes from Aonic AB, a Stockholm-based video game investor. Aonic champions high-potential game studios by supporting them with the specialist technology and infrastructure needed to achieve