Investment charges up expansion at defibrillator supplier
Leeds-based business, Defib Machines, has scaled its business nationwide and more than doubled its staff since receiving £100,000 from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF).
The company supplies fully serviced and managed defibrillators to businesses for immediate use in the event of a cardiac arrest.
Defibrillator machines are becoming commonplace in businesses and public areas across the country and, as a result, the firm has enjoyed rapid expansion in recent years. Its client base includes Marshalls Motor Group and Gala Bingo.
With increasing demand, Defib Machines successfully sought a £100,000 investment from NPIF – BEF & FFE Microfinance, managed by BEF & FFE and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund in early 2019.
Initially this funding was used to expand and train Field Technicians across the UK.
As the business continued to expand, the money was used to create a new CRM system with software to cater for the increasing needs of large orders and clients.
And further funding has allowed for the company to grow it’s accounting and dedicated admin staff to manage a larger client base.
Jonathan Gilbert, director of Defib Machines, said: “With cardiac arrest being the UK’s leading cause of death, we are seeing increased demand for lifesaving defibrillator machines across the country.
“Since we first approached the team, BEF and NPIF have believed in our passion and drive to make Defib Machines the ‘go-to’ in this unique sector.
“The biggest impact the investment has had is that we are now the supplier of choice for multi-site customers in all sectors and industries across the UK, and we have been able to expand our operations nationally.
“The future is exciting as we look to provide our services to even more businesses with vital machines.”
Sean Hutchinson, senior investment manager at the British Business Bank, said: “NPIF’s support has helped Northern businesses grow and realise their potential, and so it’s encouraging to see Defib Machine’s nationwide growth since the NPIF investment.
“The economic benefits it has had in Yorkshire, creating jobs both locally and nationally, is helping to create a more prosperous economy. We look forward to seeing the business expand further.”
