Clearview North February 2014 - Issue 147 | Page 74

BUSINESSNEWS

Smart marketing keeps
fabricators busy

BANKS
FORCE ONE
IN FIVE
SMES TO
ABANDON
GROWTH
PLANS
One in five of UK construction SMEs
has been forced to abandon plans for
growth and investment because they
are unable to raise sufficient funds from
banks, the Federation of Master Builders
(FMB) has revealed.
Brian Berry, FMB Chief Executive, said:
“In our latest FMB’s industry survey,
19% of our members reported that bank
lending policies had led to them putting
aside growth plans. The danger is that the
continuing refusal of the main high street
banks to lend to viable building companies
will hold back future growth for years to
come.”
Berry continued: “The FMB has been
making it very clear to policymakers
that until the banks change their lending
policies, growth will continue to be
hampered and the industry will not be
able to deliver the improvements to our
housing stock and the increased number of
new homes that politicians of all parties say
they want to see.”
Berry concluded: “Any measures that will
improve the flow of funds on reasonable
terms to small firms will be welcomed by
the industry. We want to see all the main
parties placing access to finance for SMEs
at the heart of their manifestos for the next
parliament.”

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FEB 201