Financing & Loan Options For Manufacturing Companies

Operating a manufacturing business is extremely rewarding. Whether you’re creating products that ship directly to retailers or you’re working with other manufacturers, the potential for profits is great. However, as you’ve likely already seen in your business, owning a manufacturing company isn’t all smooth sailing. In order to make those big profits, you have to invest in your business.

Once you have steady cash flow, it’s easy to cover day-to-day operating expenses. But what happens when your bank account is running a little low or a major expense poses a threat to your operations? From emergencies to expansions to cash flow shortages, there are multiple scenarios where you fall a little short financially.

Instead of worrying, take action. When your manufacturing business has an expense you can’t handle on your own, there are loan and financing options for any situation. Don’t panic if you’re unsure of where to start. In this post, we’ll cover the types of loans available for your business, how to choose the right lender, and what to expect when it’s time to apply.

Read on to learn more and take the next step to fund your manufacturing business.

How To Finance A Manufacturing Company

Your business is unique, and so are its financial needs. The type of loan or financial product you select is primarily centered on how you plan to use your funds. For example, if you want to purchase real estate, you should seek out long-term, low-interest options instead of a short-term loan. If you need to cover this month’s payroll, an equipment loan won’t help you out. The key is to identify why you need the money and select the right financial solution for your situation.

Purchasing Equipment

No matter what type of manufacturing business you operate, you need equipment to keep operations running efficiently. If you manufacture clothing or garments, sewing machines and pressing machines are essential equipment. If you operate a furniture manufacturing business, your business needs saws, planers, sanders, and other expensive tools and equipment.

Over time, your equipment may become old and outdated. Or maybe your equipment is still in good working order but you need to add more as part of an expansion. Either way, buying equipment doesn’t come cheap, and funding these expenses out-of-pocket can be tough, if not impossible. Instead of breaking the bank, you have a more affordable option: equipment financing.

Equipment Financing

When you receive an equipment loan, your lender will fund the full purchase price of your equipment. After paying a small down payment of 10% to 20%, you can take possession of the equipment and put it into use immediately. Then, you’ll simply make scheduled payments to your lender, which are applied to the balance of your loan (and toward any additional fees and interest charged for taking the loan).

With a high credit score, you may be able to qualify for $0 down financing. However, if at all possible, you should make a down payment to lower your scheduled payments and reduce the overall cost of borrowing.

Equipment loans can only be used to purchase equipment, including machinery, tools, furniture, fixtures, and vehicles. When you receive equipment financing, additional collateral is typically not required. Instead, the equipment being financed serves as the collateral and can be repossessed if payments are not made as agreed. Once your loan has been paid off, the equipment is yours to keep, sell, or trade.

Equipment leases are another option to consider. When you take out an equipment lease, you can use the equipment for a set period of time, such as 2 years. At the end of your lease, you have two options: pay a lump sum to purchase the equipment or return the equipment and sign another lease for new equipment. Unless you pay the remaining balance at the end of the lease, you will never take ownership of the equipment. This may be a good option for you if you update your equipment frequently or if you desire a lower down payment and lower monthly payments.

Recommended Option: Lendio

Lendio isn’t a lender; rather, it is a loan aggregator that matches you with a lender that best fits your needs. One of the financial products offered through Lendio’s service is equipment loans.

Through Lendio, you can apply for $5,000 to $5 million to finance your equipment purchase. Repayment terms are available from 1 year to 5 years, with interest rates as low as 7.5%.

To qualify with a lender through Lendio’s network, a time in business of at least 12 months is required. You must also have at least $50,000 in annual revenue and a personal credit score of 650. If your credit score falls below this threshold, solid cash flow and revenue could still help you qualify for financing.

Purchasing Materials

As a manufacturer, you need materials to manufacture your goods to sell to other manufacturers or retailers. When you don’t have the right materials, you can’t produce your goods, which negatively affects your revenue. If financial troubles prevent you from buying the materials you need, keep your business operating without a hitch by using a line of credit for your purchases.

Lines Of Credit

A line of credit is a flexible form of revolving credit. Instead of receiving a lump sum payment, your lender will assign a credit limit. You can make draws from your credit line as often as you need for any amount within your set limit. This is ideal when you need to make multiple purchases over a period of time or you’re unsure of the exact amount of money you need.

You can use your line of credit for any business expense, including purchasing supplies, materials, and inventory. Once you make a draw from your line of credit, the funds are typically transferred immediately and will be deposited in your business bank account as soon as the next business day. Interest or fees are charged only on the used portion of the credit line. As you pay down your balance, the funds will become available for you to use again.

It’s easy for most business owners to qualify for a line of credit. However, the best rates and terms and the highest credit limits are given to the most established, creditworthy businesses.

Recommended Option: Fundbox

Fundbox provides revolving lines of credit up to $100,000. When you make a draw, payments are made over a period of 12 or 24 weeks. Equal payments are made weekly and are withdrawn directly from your checking account.

Fees for drawing from your Fundbox line of credit start at 4.66% of the total draw amount. Your fee will be based on the health of your business. If you repay early, any remaining fees are waived, helping you save money.

To qualify for a Fundbox line of credit, you must have a business checking account and at least $50,000 in annual revenue. You must show two months of activity in Fundbox-supported accounting software. If you don’t have activity in accounting software, bank statements from the last three months are acceptable.

Business Expansion

Your business is growing, and it’s time to expand. There’s just one problem: expansion costs money that you don’t have. Purchasing commercial real estate, funding improvements for your facility, building an addition, or constructing a new building all come at a price that even the most successful manufacturing companies can’t pay up front. When it’s time to expand your business, move forward with confidence with the help of a Small Business Administration loan.

SBA Loans

The Small Business Administration provides a variety of resources to help small business owners succeed. One of the best resources is the organization’s low-cost, flexible loan options. SBA loans are available through lenders known as intermediaries. This could be banks, credit unions, or nonprofit organizations.

If you’ve applied for a business loan through a traditional lender like a bank, you may have been turned down. With an SBA loan, your chances for approval are higher because these loans are guaranteed by the government in amounts up to 85%, so there’s less risk for the lender.

One of the most popular types of loans for large expenses like business expansion is the 7(a) loan. With a 7(a) loan, up to $5 million is available to qualified businesses for nearly any business purchase, including commercial real estate, land development, improvements and upgrades, equipment, and more. Loan terms are set at 10 years for most purposes, although real estate purchases have terms up to 25 years.

The cost of borrowing varies based on the type of loan you select and the amount borrowed. The SBA has a set of standards used by its intermediary lenders to keep interest rates low, making loans more affordable for business owners.

Recommended Option: SmartBiz

Applying for an SBA loan doesn’t have to be difficult or stressful when you work with a lender like SmartBiz. SmartBiz simplifies the SBA application process, helping you get the money you need as quickly as possible.
There are two types of SBA loans available through SmartBiz: working capital and debt refinancing loans and SBA 7(a) commercial real estate loans.

With working capital and debt refinancing loans, you can apply for $30,000 to $350,000 to use for business expansion, marketing, hiring employees, purchasing inventory, or refinancing existing debt. Interest rates are between 8% and 9% with repayment terms of 10 years. To qualify, you must be in business for at least 2 years and have a personal credit score of at least 650.

SmartBiz also offers SBA 7(a) commercial real estate loans from $500,000 to $5 million. You can use these funds to purchase a new commercial property or refinance your existing property. Rates are between 6.75% and 8% with repayment terms of 25 years. To qualify for this loan, you must be in business for at least 2 years with a credit score of at least 675. Any property funded with loan proceeds must be at least 51% owner-occupied.

Additional requirements for SBA loans include no outstanding tax liens, recent charge-offs, or defaults on government loans. You must not have any bankruptcies or foreclosures within the last 3 years. You must also qualify as a small business based on the SBA’s definition, which limits your company’s net worth, number of employees, and annual revenues.

Cash Shortages

Cash shortages happen to everyone. A seasonal drop in sales, an unexpected emergency expense, or another situation could leave your bank account running a little short. Sometimes, the real problem is your unpaid invoices. For times when money is tight, invoice factoring can help make up for these shortages.

Invoice Factoring

Unpaid invoices can leave you in a financial bind. Instead of waiting weeks or months to receive payment, consider invoice factoring. If you’re a B2B business and you have unpaid invoices, you may qualify for this type of financing. With invoice factoring, a lender pays a large portion of an unpaid invoice directly to you. Once the invoice is paid by the customer, the remaining amount of the invoice is paid to you after the lender takes any fees charged for the service.

With invoice factoring, the invoices are the collateral for the loan. A high credit score is typically not needed to qualify. Your invoices are the most important factor in this type of financing. A lender will ensure that your invoices are a sufficient amount to cover any fees. Lenders will also make sure that your invoices are for customers who are likely to pay.

Recommended Option: BlueVine

BlueVine has invoice factoring lines up to $5 million. Rates may be as low as 0.25% per week. You can receive approval in as little as 24 hours when working with BlueVine.

To qualify, you must be in business for at least 3 months and have at least $100,000 in annual revenue. You must be a B2B business and have a personal credit score of at least 530.

Hiring, Training & Covering Payroll

It’s time to expand your business, which means hiring and training new employees, but your funding falls short. Maybe you’re not ready for expansion, and your business is struggling just to cover your current payroll. No matter the situation, a term loan can help.

Term Loans

When you apply for a term loan, you’ll receive a lump sum of money that can be used for any purpose, including hiring, training, covering payroll, or for use as working capital. The terms of these loans vary. While some lenders provide loans for up to 12 months, other lenders may offer repayment terms of several years.

If you’re applying for a short-term loan, one difference you may notice is that a factor rate is used to calculate how much you owe. This multiplier is used to determine the one-time fee that is added to the cost of your loan, replacing a traditional interest rate. The factor rate is based on the lender’s policies, as well as the creditworthiness of the borrower.

Other term loans have a traditional interest rate. Your interest rate and repayment terms will be based upon your creditworthiness and ability to pay back the loan.

One thing to note is that some term loans, such as short-term loans with low borrowing requirements, come at a very high cost. As with any other type of financing, shop around to find the best rates and terms for your business.

Recommended Option: OnDeck

OnDeck has loan options up to $500,000 for qualified borrowers. There are two different loan options available. Short-term loans come with repayment terms between 3 and 12 months. These loans have simple interest starting at 9%.

Loan options with longer terms are also available. These loans come with terms of 15 to 36 months with annual interest rates starting at 9.99%.

For all loans, origination fees are charged by the lender. For the first loan, fees are between 2.5% and 4% of the total loan amount. Subsequent loans have reduced fees.

To qualify, you must be in business for at least one year and have a gross annual revenue of $100,000. You must have a personal credit score of at least 600 to qualify. Daily or weekly payments are automatically deducted from your checking account.

If you’re looking for other financing options, OnDeck also has lines of credit up to $100,000.

Marketing & Advertising

You want to get the word out about your business to bring in more customers and increase your revenue. Word-of-mouth and free social media advertising may bring more customers your way, but you’re not going to scale at a higher level until you launch a paid marketing and advertising campaign.

Marketing and advertising can get expensive very quickly, although the return on investment is often high enough to justify this expense. But what happens when you just don’t have the extra funds to market and advertise your business and services? A business credit card can help, and you can even be rewarded just for using it.

Business Credit Cards

One of the best things about a business credit card is that it can be used any time for any business purpose. When you have marketing and advertising expenses that need to be covered, you won’t have to wait days or weeks to get financing approval. Instead, you’ll be able to use your credit card immediately to cover the expense.

A business credit card is great for marketing and advertising campaigns because you won’t have to request a specific amount. You can use your card as needed to cover any expense, whether it’s marketing and advertising costs or an emergency expense.

When you’re approved for a business credit card, your lender will provide you with a credit limit. Your purchases can’t exceed the credit limit assigned to your card. You can make multiple purchases with different vendors as needed provided you don’t exceed your credit limit. Each month, you’ll pay at least a minimum payment that will be applied to the borrowed balance and the interest charged on used funds.

Business credit cards can be a very expensive form of financing if you only make the minimum payment each month. Cut down on the amount of interest you pay and the overall cost of borrowing by using your credit card responsibly and paying all or a significant portion of your balance each month.

Business credit cards are available for all types of credit situations. Borrowers with the highest scores will receive the lowest rates and highest credit limits, in addition to the best rewards cards, introductory rates, and bonus offers. There are options available for fair credit scores that come with higher rates and lower limits. For bad credit borrowers, a secured card requires a cash deposit but helps you rebuild your credit and qualify for additional cards and financial products with responsible use.

Recommended Option: Chase Ink Business Preferred

If you have good to excellent credit and need a business credit card, consider applying for the Chase Ink Business Preferred card. This card has a variable APR of 17.99% to 22.99%. There is a $95 annual fee associated with this card.

This credit card is great for marketing and advertising expenses. You’ll earn 3 points for every $1 spent on advertising purchases with search engines and social media platforms. You’ll also earn 3 points for every $1 for shipping purchases, travel, cable, internet, and phone purchases. It’s important to note that this offer is only valid for the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases.

For all other purchases, you’ll receive 1 point for every $1 spent. If you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, they’re worth 25% more, giving you the most bang for your buck.

The Chase Ink Business Preferred Card also has a bonus offer of 80,000 points when you spend at least $5,000 within three months of opening the account.

Does The Government Offer Loans For Manufacturing Companies?

There are so many options when it comes to financing your manufacturing company. You have traditional lenders like banks and credit unions. You have alternative lenders that you can seek out online. You even have government loan options available to you.

One of the most popular government loan options has already been discussed in this post: SBA loans. These loans are backed by the government, so lenders feel more comfortable approving them since there’s less risk. In addition to the 7(a) loan that is open to any qualified small business owner, the SBA has programs for veterans, startups, and businesses operating in underserved areas.

Another option to consider is the United States Department of Agriculture’s Business & Industry Loan Program. This government-backed loan program allows lenders to provide affordable loans to businesses that don’t qualify for traditional financing. Any business that saves or creates jobs in a rural area is eligible to apply. This includes manufacturing businesses.

These loans can be used for almost any purpose, including acquiring a business, updating or constructing facilities, purchasing equipment and supplies, paying startup costs, or for use as working capital. Loan proceeds can also be used to refinance certain types of debt. These loans come with terms between 7 and 30 years. Most loans distributed through this program are between $200,000 and $5 million.

The Best Loan Options For Starting A Manufacturing Business

The options previously discussed work well for established businesses, but what happens when you need financing for a manufacturing business that hasn’t even been started yet? You need capital to fund your venture, but it seems impossible to receive a loan … or is it?

If you need capital to start a manufacturing business, you have to know where to look. At times, you may even have to get a little creative. Since traditional lenders like banks prefer to work with low-risk borrowers, you won’t be able to receive a loan, right? Not exactly. If you have a high personal credit score, you can apply for a personal loan through your bank, credit union, or another lender for money to start your business. Since it’s a personal loan and not a business loan, your business information — or lack thereof — won’t be a consideration for approval. You will, however, need a solid credit score and income that is sufficient to pay back the loan.

If you don’t want to go that route, there are additional options. Microloans are perfect for startups and new businesses. The SBA Microloans program provides up to $50,000 for startups, new businesses, and established companies. These loans are available through nonprofit intermediary lenders. Other nonprofit organizations also provide microloans to eligible business and startup owners.

You can also look to private investors. Peer-to-peer loans have less stringent requirements than traditional loans and may be an option to explore. You can also spread the word about your business and appeal to investors with crowdfunding. If you have a family member or friend that believes in your business and has money to invest, a loan from that person is a possibility. Just remember, no matter who gives you the money, borrow responsibly, read and understand all contracts, and pay your loan as agreed to start your business off on the right foot.

What To Consider When Choosing A Lender

Now that you’re familiar with the types of loans available for your manufacturing business, you may be tempted to jump online and start an application. Before you apply, you still need to choose a lender. The internet gives us access to more lenders than ever, so you may be tempted to just pick and choose based on what your search engine pulls up. However, a smart business owner knows the importance of shopping around for the best rates and terms.

Before you choose a lender, consider these factors to help narrow down your choices so you can feel confident that you’ve selected the most affordable financing option for your situation.

What Is The Loan Used For?

This question should be easy to answer. Why do you need money? Once you know how you’re using the money, you can choose the type of loan that’s best for the situation. For example, if you need a more flexible option for making purchases or in case of an emergency, apply for a line of credit or credit card. If you want to make an expensive real estate purchase, you don’t want a high-cost, short-term option. Instead, an SBA loan would be the best choice.

Once you know which type of loan you need, you can narrow your search to include only those lenders offering these products. You won’t apply with a short-term lender for an SBA loan or a lender that specializes in equipment loans when you need a flexible line of credit. Choose your loan, then narrow down your pool of lenders based on your business needs.

How Much Money Do I Need?

This is another simple question. How much money do you need? If you want to purchase equipment that costs $150,000, a lender that has maximum loan amounts of $100,000 won’t be a match. Before you fill out an application, calculate how much you need, how much you can afford, and find a lender that offers that amount.

Do I Qualify?

Applying for loans you won’t qualify for is simply a waste of time. If a lender has annual revenue, time in business, or credit requirements you just don’t meet, move on to another option. If you have challenges in these areas, find a lender that works with your specific situation. For example, if your credit score is low, consider loan options that are based on the performance of your business. If you have a new business, apply for loan options that work for startups and new businesses, like microloans. Also, take collateral and down payment requirements into account when selecting your lender and applying for a loan.

One important step to take before you apply for a loan is to know your credit score. Pull your free credit score online and review your credit report for errors. If your financing need isn’t immediate, take steps to raise your score if it’s low. With an improved credit score, you’ll qualify for more financing options that are more affordable and come with more favorable terms.

Do The Rates & Terms Work For My Business?

A loan may help you out right now, but you have to consider whether it will benefit your business over the long term. You want to select a lender that offers loans with the lowest rates and best terms you are qualified to receive. A short-term loan may be funded fast, but daily payments and a high factor rate could become a burden. In this situation, you could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars by waiting for a long-term option with better rates and terms.

Of course, in some situations, getting a loan quickly is important. Even so, shop around to make sure that you get a loan that you’ll be able to afford that has payment terms that are best for your business.

What You’ll Need To Apply For A Loan

Some types of financing for your manufacturing business require very little information about yourself and your business. For example, your name, business name, federal tax ID, social security number, contact information, and annual revenue may be all that’s required to qualify for a business credit card. However, there are other loans that require much more information and documentation before you’re approved.

Before you apply, you can get the specific requirements from your lender. However, you may want to go ahead and gather a few documents, including:

• Business & Personal Tax Returns
• Business & Personal Credit Scores/Reports
• Business & Personal Bank Statements
• Profit & Loss Statements
• Balance Sheets
• Licenses & Articles Of Incorporation
• Business Plan
• Future Projections
• Account Numbers & Balances If Refinancing Debt

Your requirements may vary based on the lender you select, the type of loan you’re applying to receive, and the amount of your loan. Sometimes, a lender may even require additional information after you’ve submitted your application and documentation. Be prepared to offer this additional information promptly to move one step closer to approval and funding.

Final Thoughts

You need money just to keep your manufacturing business operating each day. This amount increases even more when you face a challenging situation, from growth and expansion to emergency expenses.

When you need money, it’s important to not stress yourself out over the situation and remember that you have financial options. Take a deep breath, run some calculations, pick your lender, and apply for the financing you need. You’ll be out of your financial rut and heading toward success again in no time.