Asset finance in Stoke-on-Trent
Asset finance lets a Stoke-on-Trent business acquire equipment, plant or vehicles without paying the full cost upfront, typically through hire purchase or leasing over two to five years. CoreFi matches your case to lenders who fund Stoke-on-Trent firms. Rates depend on the asset, the business and lender appetite.
Stoke still makes things. The ceramics industry survives in modern, capital-intensive form alongside a substantial logistics sector strung along the A500 and M6, plus specialist engineering and materials businesses that grew out of the potteries supply chain.
That kit is expensive, and paying cash for it drains the working capital the business needs to trade. Asset finance spreads the cost over the life of the equipment instead. Locally that means kilns and ceramic production plant, printing and decorating equipment, injection moulding, HGVs and trailers, and warehouse racking and handling equipment.
CoreFi is a commercial finance broker. We arrange commercial finance for Stoke-on-Trent businesses, principally limited companies. We package the case, approach the lenders whose criteria fit, and manage it to drawdown. We do not lend our own money and we are not tied to any lender.
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Tell us what you need
Tell us what you are buying, roughly what it costs and when you need it. It costs nothing to start and there is no obligation.
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We match you with suitable lenders
We assess your situation against our whole-of-market panel and identify the lenders whose criteria actually fit, rather than applying everywhere and collecting declines.
- 3
We package and submit
We prepare the case with the documents the lender will ask for and put it to the lenders most likely to fund it.
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Offer and drawdown
The lender issues terms and, on acceptance, releases the facility. We manage it through to completion.
Hire purchase or lease
On hire purchase you pay a deposit, then monthly instalments, and you own the asset at the end. It suits equipment with a long working life and good residual value, which covers most plant and machinery.
On a lease you are paying for use rather than ownership. It suits assets that date quickly or that you expect to replace on a cycle. The right answer depends on how long you will genuinely keep the asset and how your accountant wants it treated, and it is worth asking them before you sign rather than after.
What lenders look at
The asset carries much of the deal, which is why asset finance is often available to businesses that would struggle to get an unsecured facility of the same size. Lenders want identifiable, serial-numbered equipment with a resale market.
They are more cautious about anything bolted into premises you do not own, heavily bespoke kit, and equipment with no secondary market. Age matters on used assets: most lenders want useful life comfortably beyond the term. Existing finance on the asset is not necessarily a barrier, and equipment you already own outright can often be refinanced to release capital.
Cost, and the questions worth asking
Compare total cost over the term rather than headline rate. A low rate with a large documentation fee, an option-to-purchase fee and an early settlement penalty can cost more than a slightly higher rate without them, and those charges are not always volunteered.
Ask what happens if you want to settle early, what the asset is worth to the lender at the end on a lease, and whether a personal guarantee is required. We put those questions to the lender as part of packaging the case rather than leaving you to discover the answers in the documents.
Frequently asked questions
Do you cover all of Stoke-on-Trent and the surrounding area?
Yes. We work with businesses across Stoke-on-Trent and the surrounding area, including Hanley, Burslem, Longton, Etruria Valley, Trentham and out along the A500 towards Crewe. The lenders we match you to will confirm whether they fund your specific sector, location and security.
Do you lend the money yourselves?
No. CoreFi is a commercial finance broker, not a lender. We arrange facilities with lenders on our panel and are paid a commission by the lender on completion. If we think a product is wrong for your situation we will say so.
Can I fund used equipment?
Usually yes. Lenders will fund used plant and vehicles, though they look closely at age, hours or mileage and the remaining useful life against the term you want. Older assets attract shorter terms and larger deposits.
Can I release cash from equipment I already own?
Yes, that is asset refinance. A lender values the equipment, advances a percentage against it and takes a charge over the asset. It is a common way to fund a tax bill or a contract without selling anything.
What does it cost to use CoreFi?
There is no cost to start a conversation and no obligation. On most commercial products we are paid a commission by the lender on completion. Where a fee is payable by you, we tell you the amount in writing before you commit to anything.
Get matched with lenders for your Stoke-on-Trent business
Tell us what your business needs and we will match you with lenders whose criteria fit. No obligation, no cost to start the conversation, and a straight answer about what is realistic for your situation.
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