The new kit would help BD Foods meet demand from its customers, which include hospitality, aviation, retail and leisure businesses, the firm’s md John Davis said.
“Businesses want to provide their customers with the highest quality condiments, and this is something that we can deliver,” he claimed.
“Due to the demand for our products, we recognised a need to invest in our infrastructure to move the business into its next phase of growth.”
The investment in two new filling lines was made possible following a loan from Lloyds Bank.
Funding
This funding meant the company could spread the cost of the machinery over an agreed period so that it wouldn’t affect its working capital.
The support and understanding of BD Foods’s plans by Lloyds was instrumental in the smooth implementation of the new facilities, Davis added.
The investment had already helped the East Sussex-based firm to secure a new contract with hospitality business Whitbread.
One of the production lines fills sauce and dressing bottles for airlines such as British Airways in 10ml, 12ml and 15ml quantities.
This will integrate the filling, capping and labelling process in one go at the site and double the speed at which BD Foods completes orders, it said.
John Davis, md, BD Foods
“We have worked with Lloyds Bank for a number of years, and their support of our plans and understanding of the logistics involved when purchasing European machinery has been instrumental in the smooth implementation of our new facilities.”
The other line fills larger products including yogurt, table sauces and peri dip for clients including Center Parcs, Waitrose and Marriott, and fills containers ranging in size from 150ml to 1.25kilos.
The new equipment can fill six bottles at once where the older machinery was only able to do one at a time.
Growth and turnover
Established in 2001, the business achieved year-on-year growth of 24% and has an annual turnover of £8.8M. In line with its on-going expansion strategy, the business is hoping to achieve similar growth in the next 12 months.
Darren Lansley, regional manager at Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance, said: “BD Foods has established a reputation within the food industry as one of the leading suppliers of condiment products.
“By using a hire purchase facility to fund its new machinery, the business has avoided a large one-off payment and is able to spread the cost of the kit.”