Muckle supports landmark expansion project in Teesside

Lawyers from our banking, real estate and construction teams have advised FW Capital in the use of a regional fund deployed in the major expansion of a Teesside steel business.

Louise Duffy led the team advising FW Capital, which manages the Teesside Flexible Investment Fund with investment from the Teesside Pension Fund. The fund has been instrumental in financing a major expansion for Teesside-based Steel Benders UK Ltd (SBUK).

SBUK is the largest steel bending company in the North East, and this new development will double the firm’s capacity, creating at least 15 new jobs in the local community.

Funded through a collaborative investment via Teesside Flexible Investment Fund and SBUK’s own resources, this new development will enable SBUK to relocate operations from Middlesbrough and develop its new 40,000 sq ft industrial premises in Hartlepool.

Significant capital investment

Owner and director Tania Cooper said: "The new facility provides the necessary scale and infrastructure to house our latest state-of-the-art machinery. This expansion, underpinned by significant capital investment, enhances our capacity for large-scale bending and profiling. This site is a testament to the future of SBUK and our commitment to the region. We are grateful to the team at FW Capital for their invaluable partnership in realising this vision."

Lesley Telford, senior investment executive at FW Capital, added: “With a 20-year track record of excellence across the UK, SBUK is now deploying this investment into scaling up. It's fantastic to back their new Hartlepool development through the Teesside Flexible Investment Fund—an investment that directly fuels their expansion and meets the rising demand for their expertise.”

Councillor John Kabuye, chair of the Teesside Pension Fund Committee, said: “The Flexible Investment Fund is all about supporting local businesses to grow, creating new jobs and prosperity for the whole Tees area. SBUK are at the cutting edge of this highly specialised field, and I wish them every success for the future.”

Legal support 

FW Capital was supported by Louise Duffy (banking), Claire Naughten (real estate), Ross Galbraith (construction) and Kitija Martinsone (banking).

Partner and head of banking and finance, Louise Duffy, said: “This is an exciting new chapter for a major Teesside industrial firm and the whole Muckle team was delighted to be a part of getting it over the line. It is great to see the deployment of the Teesside Flexible Investment Fund in assisting such a significant investment in the region and we wish SBUK all the best for its future success.”

For more information please contact Louise Duffy on 0191 211 7946 or [email protected].