Business lender opens door to the south for Doncaster’s Sentry

South Yorkshire’s Sentry Doors is set for significant growth following a number of major contract wins, all due to the support from Leeds-based business lender Reward Finance Group.

The Doncaster-based manufacturer of specialist fire and security doors has seen business boom after spotting an opportunity to supply fire retardant door sets into the London and South East market as local authorities look to replace tenants’ facilities because of legislative changes.

Established in 1989 by Gordon Yates, Sentry Doors has clients throughout the UK in sectors including health, education and hospitality.

Sentry Doors is set to achieve a turnover of £4m in 2015, a substantial increase over last year’s £1.5m. The company employs 30 staff, 10 of whom have been taken on as a direct result of the new contract wins.

Gordon Yates, managing director, believes business at Sentry Doors improved after receiving support from Reward Invoice Finance, the invoice finance division of parent Reward Finance Group, earlier this year.

The business turned to Reward Invoice Finance in order to service new orders for its fire and security rated doors and screens, after the firm’s mainstream lender could not carry out this requirement.

Reward Invoice Finance has provided a finance line against its outstanding invoices and has put in place a substantial overpayment facility to enable the continued growth of the family-run company and to fund the additional stock levels Sentry is carrying.

Gordon Yates said: “Sentry Doors made a strategic decision in 2011 to refocus the business and concentrate on higher value products. This involved us relocating to one of our smaller units in Carcroft, Doncaster.

“Coupled with this, strategic partnerships with other organisations such as London Fire Solutions, a company with extensive knowledge of the fire protection industry, enabled us to identify and win opportunities in the capital.

“However, as business grew we were in danger of not being able to service these new contracts as our bank was just not fast or flexible enough to make funding decisions to support us. Therefore, we are indebted to Reward Invoice Finance because without its support we would not be on the growth path we are today.

“We are now in a position to fully exit our relationship with our bank as we have paid down our loan facilities and now have other options to assist with our growth journey, beginning with the recruitment of a business development manager to specifically focus on work in London. It’s an exciting time for Sentry Doors.”

Dave Jones, joint managing director at Reward Invoice Finance, added: “Sentry Doors is a fantastic example of how being given access to the right financial resources can be transformational for a business. Many commentators talk about the North/South divide and it’s refreshing to see a Yorkshire company with a quality product buck the trend by hard work, effort and skill.

“Allowing clients access to additional cash, in order to maximise opportunities, is a theme that runs through all of the Reward businesses and is helping many companies, such as Sentry Doors, take advantage.”

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