Bottle manufacturer back in business with six-figure deal

A specialist bottle manufacturer based in Birmingham has been able to resume its operations following lockdown with the help of a six-figure cash injection.

First Editions, which manufactures and prints drinks bottles for the leisure sector and events industry, sought help from Lloyds Bank following a significant downturn in demand during the lockdown period.

As promotional events were cancelled, gyms forced to close and sports fixtures put on pause, the firm saw its output drop by around 90%.

In a more typical year, the firm supplies more than two million bottles. They are made with bespoke designs for its customers to use as part of promotional events. The products are used at events for a number of high-profile clients, including Premier League football and Premiership rugby clubs.

Through lockdown, the business continued to work with customers that supply bottles for NHS staff and patients, school children and teachers across the country.

The finance package through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) provided by Lloyds Bank ensured that the business could continue operating at a reduced capacity.

Mark Alderson, operations director at First Editions, said: “The events and leisure industries rely on face-to-face contact so were both hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, and we’ve worked closely with our customers to navigate this difficult period.  The support we received from Lloyds Bank was a vital lifeline for us, providing much-needed security to ensure we could help our customers keep supplying key workers, like those working in the health service, as orders from elsewhere dropped.

“The loan was turned around so quickly, which was really reassuring during an uncertain time, and we always had guidance from the Lloyds Bank team when we needed it. It also means that now we’re now in a strong position to ramp up production quickly as demand starts to increase again.”

Rob Taylor, relationship manager at Lloyds Bank, said: “First Editions is a hugely successful business, with its products being used by household-name institutions. While it was affected by the coronavirus outbreak, the team was quick to adapt and secure the support they needed, and it’s promising to see them starting to return to normal levels of production.

“The manufacturing sector is hugely important here in Birmingham and across the West Midlands. As part of our ongoing commitment to helping Britain prosper, we will continue to work with manufacturers throughout the region to help them navigate this tumultuous period.”