Bradford-based Crucial Engineering, which specialises in aluminium doors and security access systems, has secured a £250,000 loan from NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia Debt as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).
The funding will enable Crucial to take on bigger projects, and follows its expansion into larger premises last year and a spate of new high-tier contract wins. Crucial provides facades, shutters, barriers, gates and turnstiles for commercial properties such as factories, fast food restaurants, car dealerships and educational buildings.
The company was founded in 2016 by Paul Van Heeswyk, a qualified electrician who was then aged 28, with the aim of bringing a new dynamic to the security access industry. It later expanded into aluminium doors and windows.
Crucial now employs over 30 staff and serves major clients including builders’ merchants Travis Perkins, dealership chains Arnold Clark and Vertu Motors, student accommodation specialist Unite Students, and global property management company CBRE.
In October 2023, the company moved into a new 35,000 sq ft unit in Bradford, which is five times larger than its original premises in Leeds, and it has since invested heavily in new equipment and fit-out. The NPIF II funding will provide additional working capital and enable the company to create three new jobs in the coming weeks.
Paul Van Heeswyk, Managing Director, said: “At Crucial Engineering, we aim to bring a modern approach to traditional industries. We use new technology and develop innovative products. We also work hard to create a positive workplace culture and use apprenticeship schemes to attract new people into the industry.
David Wright of Mercia Debt added: “Paul is an ambitious and dynamic entrepreneur who is focused on growth and has a clear vision for the future of the business. We are pleased to be able to support him on the next step of the journey.”
James Gwynne of Commercial Expert provided fundraising advice to the company.
