What next for your business?

invest bulletin: issue 3, 2010

"Businesses are still demonstrating an appetite for growth, despite prolonged economic turbulence," says Peter Wright, Finance Wales’ investment director.

"Even the strongest of businesses have been cautious during the downturn, but a number are now demonstrating quiet confidence and starting to think about investing for the future."

Drive and ambition

This growing confidence has been reflected in Finance Wales' investment performance in 2009 – 10, when we invested £37 million through 246 investments.

Read about our key achievements.

"Finance Wales is doing more deals than ever despite the trends we’ve seen in the market," Wright explains. "Launching our £150 million fund certainly helped, but the drive and ambition of Welsh businesses played its part."

Planning ahead

A growing number of businesses we've previously invested in have demonstrated their ambition and come to us for further investment. They've used our investment to help them achieve a range of goals.

"I believe that now is a good time to re-focus and think about further investment. A good time for business owners and managers to think about the ambitious and practical steps they can take to grow their future revenues and profits," Wright continues.

Many of the businesses that talk to us are thinking hard about how to improve efficiency, which could mean investing in people, equipment or infrastructure. You may be thinking about relocating to increase your business' capacity or diversifying into new markets or even planning for management succession.

If any of these scenarios sounds familiar, perhaps it’s time you talked to your financial adviser or to us about investment.

Growth capital is the key

"We’ve been seeing some excellent business plans recently," Wright concludes. "I’m pleased businesses are recognising the important role growth capital can play and how the right funding package can help businesses expand."

"Our annual investment level has increased for the fourth consecutive year which means we are playing an even greater role in helping Welsh businesses achieve their growth ambitions." Sian Lloyd Jones, chief executive.