Import Finance Solutions | Secure Your Ideal Facility

What is Import Finance?

Import finance allows businesses who receive orders domestically to purchase goods and raw materials from overseas suppliers without tying up their cash flow for long periods.

The delays and complications associated with trading overseas alone can be a great burden for any company, never mind the cash flow implications of selling goods on credit terms and having to pay overseas suppliers long before payment is received.

However, import finance allows businesses to close this funding gap, keeping cash flowing so they can fulfil new orders and meet other financial commitments in confidence.

At Hilton-Baird Financial Solutions, as an independent commercial finance broker we can help your business identify and secure the right facility for your requirements. Call 0800 9774833 or request a call back to speak to one of import finance experts.

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Who can use import finance?

In order to obtain import finance, you are usually required to have:

A confirmed purchase order from a sufficiently credit-rated customer
A track record of trading goods
A minimum of typically 20% gross profit margin
Goods being purchased should be ‘finished’ or raw goods in a sellable state (timber, steel, etc.)

How does import finance work?

Import finance solutions are often bespoke packages made up of different types of finance, depending on your requirements.

Facilities will typically allow you to fund up to 100% of purchases from overseas, right up until the point that your invoice is paid by your UK customer.

Solutions could also include a letter of credit, allowing you to trade with certain suppliers who require certain bank guarantees to protect all parties involved.

Some packages will also include an invoice finance or asset based lending facility, releasing cash against the value of invoices raised (and potentially other assets) to further keep cash flowing, protect it from the risk of bad debt and allow you to continue fulfilling client orders.

What are the benefits of import finance?

Eases the cash flow demands of importing goods in order to fulfil a domestic order on credit terms
Timely payments can help to build relationships with overseas suppliers and could lead to better terms being negotiated
Facilities can include credit protection to minimise the risk of bad debt and untimely delivery of goods
Reduces the risks when trading with sometimes unfamiliar markets
The funder often deals with the documentation as part of the agreement
The importing process is made more efficient to avoid any unnecessary delays
Such facilities are specifically designed for the UK import market, bringing expertise and specialist support to help your cash flow
Facilities work well in tandem with other finance facilities, such as invoice finance

Finding an import finance facility

Because of the variety of international trade finance services available to help importers maintain a healthy cash flow when importing goods, it is important that you select the right facility from the right lender to ensure your business’s funding needs are met.

With extensive experience in import finance solutions, Hilton-Baird Financial Solutions can identify which funding solution best fits your business’s needs.

Contact our team on 0800 9774833 or email info@hiltonbaird.co.uk to find out more about your import finance options.

We were really impressed with the speed at which we could get a facility in place. Hilton-Baird recognised and related to our situation and worked with speed and efficiency to get us up and running.

Steve Marney, Managing Director, South East Construction & Recruitment

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Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA number 730445)
We are a credit broker and not a lender and offer credit facilities from a panel of lenders

Import Finance