A social impact lender says businesses in Staffordshire and the wider region are showing ‘resilience’ with its West Midlands team providing £1.87 million of support since 2023.
National organisation UKSE – a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Steel UK Limited – set up its West Midlands team in 2023 and has provided £1.87 million to local companies via a mixture of debt and equity, creating 96 jobs.
Based in Keys Business Village in Cannock, Area Manager Steve Grice and Regional Executive Mike Lowe work to support SMEs across Staffordshire, as well as Birmingham, the Black Country, Coventry and Telford. The team provides tailored strategic loan and equity packages of up to £1 million to generate growth, create jobs and bolster the economy.
Steve said: “Despite all the challenges faced by West Midlands businesses, we are noticing that local companies are bucking the trend and demonstrating resilience in the face of bad news.
“Companies have been used to the economy being uncertain over the past years, but many are now looking forward to increased stability with firms in sectors including manufacturing and tech looking for positive support. We are keen to engage with businesses to deliver on the UKSE mission of enabling businesses and the people behind them to create jobs, grow and prosper.”
Mike added: “We are out speaking with businesses across the region every week, as well as their advisers, so we know there are companies ready to grow and create job opportunities in 2025. Each company will have its own specific needs, so we work to ensure we deliver a funding package which is tailored to their ambitions.”
Among the firms to benefit last year was Cannock-based Safe Haven Training, which delivers workplace first aid and health and safety training courses to schools, nurseries, councils and businesses across the West Midlands.
Established in 2012, the family-run business received a ‘five-figure funding package’ from UKSE in March 2024 which allowed them to invest in a new CRM system and employ additional members of staff to deliver training.
Owner Shane Bryan said: “The investment from UKSE has transformed the business. We have been able to invest in a brand new, bespoke CRM system to support our growth plans and have increased our workforce from 25 to 40 people.
“The whole business has benefitted from the funding, and we are proud to announce that we are now providing training for businesses stretching from Blackpool to London.”
UKSE works with businesses in areas affected by current or historic changes in the steel industry and its jobs and has invested more than £115 million since it was founded in 1975, helping 8,000 businesses and stimulating the creation of 83,000 new jobs.
