Manchester-based event and interior design business Visual Architects has received a six-figure loan to accelerate its growth and expand its global client base.
The funding supports Visual Architects’ organic growth strategy and the addition of new technology and machinery to enhance its current offering.
From its premises in Denton, Greater Manchester, Visual Architects specialises in crafting innovative interior designs for events and venues. The team design, build, install and project manage full venue transformations, for everything from small bars and nightclubs to restaurants and dramatic festival stages. Transformations involve anything from temporary installation to a full set design, working with global clients to help them showcase their brand identities. Visual Architects also provide event management solutions from event co-ordination to booking management, marketing and stage management.
The investment, from NPIF II – FW Capital Debt Finance, which is managed by FW Capital as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II), has allowed the business to invest in a 3D printer and 5-Axis CNC machine to support the creation of its complex designs. The 5-Axis CNC machine assists the creation of intricate parts with enhanced accuracy, producing complex shapes and improved surface finishes as well as cutting down on waste, supporting Visual Architects’ commitment to recycle discarded materials.
Visual Architects was founded in 2013 by brothers Alexis and Lefteris Angelidis as a sister company to illumiNaughty, an event company the duo have run since 2006. After expanding quickly across the UK Alexis and Lefteris saw demand increase across Europe and further afield. Visual Architects currently works with clients in Dubai, Ibiza, California, Croatia and Saudi Arabia. The funding from FW Capital is helping to support their plans to expand their reach even further.
Alexis Angelidis, Director at Visual Architects said: “We operate in a niche sector that demands excellence so it’s vital to keep pace with the latest technology and designs. We’re experts at transforming spaces into immersive experiences and are using this investment to further enhance our offering. We’ve got a well-established reputation in the Middle East and are looking to expand further into Europe. The investment from FW Capital has allowed us to keep expanding and improve our market offering with cutting-edge technology that supports our innovative designs.”
Barry Wilson, Investment Executive at FW Capital said: “Visual Architects is an impressive business that has grown significantly and is embarking on its next stage of growth. Its global outreach is expanding, and this funding is giving it the platform from which to develop further and enhance its design capabilities with the introduction of new technology that is also supporting its green commitments.”
Sue Barnard, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, said: “Visual Architects is a perfect example of the kind of innovative, forward-thinking business we aim to support through NPIF II. It’s fantastic to see the Fund supporting a Northern company as it enhances its green credentials and expands its reach across the globe.”
The £660m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II) covers the entire North of England and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.
The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II aims to build on the success of the initial fund, with the purpose of driving sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the North of England.
The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for the North’s smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance. FW Capital will provide debt finance options from £100,000 to £2million to businesses based in the North West of England, with some flexibility to lend across the North.
