Knitwear supplier set for global expansion after £3m deal

Mark Wilkinson, MD, BHM International, Richard Parker, relationship director, HSBC UK, Deborah Powell, relationship support officer, HSBC UK

A Leicestershire-based wholesale supplier of fashion knitwear has landed £3m worth of funding from HSBC UK which it says will support its international expansion plans and open new supply links across the globe.

BHM International has a sampling facility and warehouse in Fleckney, Leicestershire. It predominantly designs women’s knitwear, supplying high-profile retailers in the UK, including Primark, Tesco, Pennies, ASOS and River Island.

The business currently sources production from factories in Romania, Turkey, Bangladesh and China. HSBC UK’s funding will enable the business to open additional supply links across Asia and Europe, as BHM looks to increase stock control and tap into new European trade markets including France and Germany.

Mark Wilkinson, managing director at BHM International, said: “Our customers demand an ever-increasing range of original, innovative and cutting-edge knitwear designs. The new funding package puts us in a great position to meet this demand. It will also allow us to move into new markets as we look to grow our business. We look forward to working closely with our new relationship director at the bank, Richard Parker, who will be pivotal in helping us take the business forward.”

Roger Pratt, HSBC UK area director for corporate banking in the East Midlands, said: “HSBC connects British businesses to international opportunities. BHM International is an ambitious business that is looking to grow on the global stage and we were perfectly placed to provide BHM with the support it needed.”

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