Equity deals offer businesses opportunities despite economic challenges, say UKSE
26 Aug 2025
Published in: Member News
As business investment specialist UKSE marks its 50th anniversary the lender is well placed to help local businesses looking for equity deals, writes Steve Grice, Midlands Area Manager.
Celebrating 50 years of building relationships and supporting communities, UKSE makes equity investments, ensuring management stays in control and offering a flexible exit policy. Unsecured loans up to £200,000 are also available, often without the need for personal guarantees.
The lender has operated nationally since 1975 and appointed Steve and Regional Executive Mike Lowe to deliver investment in the West Midlands to give added focus in the region. Since they began work in 2023 Steve Grice and Mike have overseen lending totalling £2.5m to 16 companies on behalf of UKSE.
Providing strategic loan and equity packages of up to £1m to generate growth, create jobs and bolster the economy, UKSE’s team based in Keys Business Village, Cannock, supports SMEs across Birmingham, the Black Country, Coventry, Staffordshire and Telford.
The most recently Black Country Chamber of Commerce quarterly economic survey for Quarter 2 showed investment plans have increased for equipment and training for 17 per cent of Black Country businesses down from 31 per cent 12 months earlier.
Steve is clear on the role which UKSE can play as a community lender, emphasising the personal approach they take in an age when business loans can be accessed online with no human interaction.
“Within our region we want to create jobs and support growth, while being an alternative service for finance for businesses which do not want to take on debt,” he said.
“With UKSE celebrating its 50th anniversary we can see there are still opportunities coming to us, whether that is helping people do a ‘buy and build’ with an acquisition or on the other side, selling out to a competitor.
“The profiles of the firms we work with can be varied but they include traditional family businesses who know their sectors and their markets but are looking for investment.
“We are not an aggressive equity partner but can act as critical friends operating as minority shareholders. We ask some probing questions to encourage business leaders to think about what they are doing.”
In reviewing applications UKSE look at key data, says Mike. “We need to assess the management team and take the time to meet them in person to get a well-rounded view of the business, including whether they have the right people in the right roles or need help in building a management team.
“We have a thorough process but the deal, including legal checks, can be completed in three months. With our local presence we are on the doorstep and can meet businesses across the West Midlands very easily.
“We want the borrower to be just as confident in us as we are in them. The people in charge need to assess Steve and Mike, if you like, as we are going to be working together in the long term so a good relationship is needed from day one.
“Further ahead we are flexible on exit policies. There are some businesses where we complete our time together in a year and there are others where UKSE are still in place after 30 years.
“We do not take control or tell the management team what to do as the decisions are theirs’ at the end of the day.
“We benefit from better quality introductions from our network of local colleagues of brokers and financial advisers who understand the business and act as the bridge to a lender like us. They are important because they will almost do a pre-introduction assessment of the firm which helps the process.”
A relationship with UKSE can lead borrowers to be introduced to their network partner companies, says Steve.
“We put them in touch with other client companies and other professionals, which can help with their growth plans,” he explained.
• To find out more about UKSE, visit www.ukse.co.uk.
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