Finding the right commercial finance deal was crucial in enabling this glamping pod business to purchase the machinery needed to meet huge upturn in demand.
It’s been quite a year for diversification. Businesses all over the UK have had to respond to the pressures of Brexit and, of course, a global pandemic. Whilst the economic climate caused difficulties for some, for others it led to increased demand and a whole new wave of customers.
That’s what happened to Lune Valley Pods, a Lancashire timber business which builds bespoke, luxury glamping pods for both personal and commercial customers. Established in 2003, the business is owned and run by Sam Westworth and Patrick Benson.
“When the pandemic hit last year and so many people were confined to the UK, many farmers and other landowners took the opportunity to start their own glamping businesses,” explains Sam. “Suddenly, we found ourselves a lot busier than we ever expected to be.”
Faced with the challenge of acutely increased demand, the team at Lune Valley Pods soon identified the need for a more sophisticated CNC cutting machine to make their production more efficient. Sam and Patrick approached specialist commercial finance brokers, Ideal4Finance, also based in Lancashire, to help them fund the purchase.
“The commercial team at Ideal4Finance found us the perfect finance deal for our new machine, with a flexible repayment plan structured around our specific needs,” says Sam. “It was completely hassle-free, meaning we had nothing to worry about and could focus entirely on running the business.”
Ideal4Finance seemed the obvious choice for Lune Valley Pods as the two businesses have been working together since 2019. The relationship began when, as manufacturers of some of the highest specification glamping pods available in the UK, the company recognised a need to offer its domestic customers the option of monthly payments.
“People consider using our pods as offices, studios, spare rooms or even granny flats,” says Sam, “and the customer finance solution provided by Ideal4Finance has helped so many more customers make the decision to purchase.”
Alongside its domestic customers, the company also supplies bespoke pods to holiday and glamping businesses across the UK. Its stunning timber creations can be found on over 300 sites from the highlands of Scotland to the foot of Cornwall and from Cumbria across to the East coast.
“Many of our industry customers are looking to place quite significant orders, so it was inevitable that some of them would ask about commercial finance options,” says Sam. “We didn’t hesitate to use Ideal4Finance as our commercial finance partner, as we know we can trust them to look after our customers and secure them the best possible deal.”
Mark Heckels is the Head of Commercial Finance at Ideal4Finance. He says: “Our partnership with Lune Valley Pods exemplifies exactly what we try to achieve with our clients, a long-lasting relationship which develops as their operations evolve and continues to provide the financial support needed for their business to flourish.”
Lune Valley Pods is certainly flourishing. Over the years, concepts change and technology moves on, but this remains an operation underpinned by a strong ethos of great designs, precisely manufactured. And with a robust finance partner at their side, there’s every expectation that this family business will continue its success for generations to come.
Find out more about our farming finance or about our commercial finance solutions.
To visit the Lune Valley Pods website click here.
