Three deals in three weeks as FDC’s SME Funding team stays busy during lockdown

Three recent transactions from FDC’s Growth Capital portfolio demonstrate exactly how our clients receive far more than money through the investments provided by FDC, at a time when it has never been more crucial to support mid-market UK businesses to reach their potential.

In December 2014 FDC invested £1.75m to help secure the future and fund the growth of Coventry Chemicals, now Mirius, a global hygiene solutions provider. Since then the firm has doubled in size, and more recently in 2020 its cleaning, healthcare and hygiene products are helping to control the spread of the pandemic both in the UK and internationally.
The success of the Mirius team led by Steve Quinlan, together with our support over the years has enabled an ABN Amro led refinance and FDC’s exit from the business.


FDC backed Armighorn Capital in March 2019 with £3m to acquire and refurbish the newly named Aspin Hill Village in Leeds, the 4th largest care home in England and leading specialists in dementia care.

Testimony to the high calibre management team at Armighorn and our working relationship, we have followed our initial investment with a further £2m to purchase Amberleigh Care Home in Liverpool, with two further acquisitions to in the pipeline.


A £3m investment made in June 2016 supported Birmingham based Hills Numberplates, in their acquisition, as led by Richard Taffinder, of Faab Fabricauto, France’s leading number plate manufacturer.

Since then the business has gone on to acquire JR Wald in the US, manufacturing operations in Brazil and more recently has announced a strategic tie up with Erich Utsch AG to become the world’s largest number plate group with over 1,000 employees globally.

Commerzbank provided new banking facilities to the enlarged group and facilitated FDC’s exit from our successful 4-year relationship with the Hills business.

“For more information on medium term debt investments, get in touch with one of our Investment Directors. They’re always happy to discuss new opportunities.”