Wholesale Funding
Funding wholesale SMEs to expand and invest with better working capital
Unlocking cashflow across the wholesale finance cycle
We understand that appealing to customers and gaining a competitive edge in today's markets as a wholesale business can be difficult. Whether you’re trying to cover stock, payroll, warehouse leases, shipping costs, or implement efficient systems, success often depends on having the day-to-day cashflow and additional funds to invest in the business's future.
We provide Invoice Finance to many businesses operating in the wholesale sector as it is a flexible finance solution that enables you to smooth out cashflow. This can support you to bridge the gap between invoicing and payment, and plan ahead with greater certainty, leaving you free to focus on growth and expansion opportunities.
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Rising costs and longer payment terms
Wholesale businesses are heavily focused on expansion, whilst navigating the cashflow pressures impacting this growth. Our latest SME Confidence Tracker1 shows that 62% of SMEs reported customers taking longer to pay than a year ago, with 56% saying high costs and inflation remain their biggest challenge. With an increase in these debtor days and credit terms being stretched, our Invoice Finance allows wholesale businesses to manage cashflow differently, usually accessing up to 95% of their invoice value within 24 hours of raising it.
1Source: Bibby Financial Services, SME Confidence Tracker Q1 2026, survey of 1000 UK SMEs, conducted March 2026.
Uncertain global trading environment
Our 2026 Trading Places report2 shows nearly 7 in 10 wholesalers have seen cashflow pressures intensify, with wholesale businesses facing average foreign exchange-related losses of over £96,000. Over two thirds of wholesalers (70%) are being squeezed by rising shipping and logistics costs, a direct consequence of current global conflicts, with almost 80% of wholesalers facing some form of disruption by such tensions. Our Foreign Exchange solutions can ease any uncertainty in global distribution, helping to to combat these rising logistical costs and overseas tariffs.
With SMEs seeing rising supplier (61%) and customer (63%) insolvencies, BFS also offers Bad Debt Protection, which, used alongside an Invoice Finance facility, mitigates the impact of customer non payment.
2Source: Bibby Financial Services, 2026 Trading Places Report, survey of >500 UK SMEs, conducted April-May 2026.
What our wholesale clients say
We support wholesale clients across multiple different areas from clothing to timber to fresh produce
Veromia
“Bibby Financial Services was the right choice for us because of the service that they provide. They're very approachable. You can talk to them. Invoice financing has really helped our cashflow and to be able to get your money instantly, it's really quite important I think, to any business, and the fact that Bibby communicate with us on a weekly basis.”
Carmichael International
"BFS took the time to delve into the intricacies of our business to structure a funding package that specifically recognised our need to establish strong relationships overseas. This attention to detail is complemented by the team’s impressive understanding of the industry and markets we operate in, something which we didn’t receive from other funding providers.”
Tuber Produce
“The combined facility has been fantastic, allowing us to unlock cashflow and maintain strong relationships with our trading partners overseas. Having all of the funding under one roof has been extremely helpful, enabling us to focus on expanding our product range and seek out new opportunities. The FX service will continue to help us manage currency volatility - which is vital in the current climate.”
Explore our finance solutions for wholesalers
Through Bibby Financial Services’ Invoice Finance, wholesalers can manage the working capital gap that builds from paying suppliers and holding inventory through to selling goods, raising invoices and receiving customer payment. Once a sale is invoiced, releasing cash from the outstanding invoice can replenish funds already tied up in stock, helping the business restock, pay suppliers and fulfil new orders without waiting for customers to settle.
Our Asset Finance solutions can help wholesalers invest in warehouse equipment, vehicles, racking, handling systems and technology without diverting the working capital needed to purchase and hold inventory. Spreading the cost of these assets can protect cash at the earlier stages of the cycle, helping businesses improve storage and fulfilment capacity while funds remain committed to stock and outstanding customer invoices.
Why choose funding from Bibby Financial Services
- One of the UK’s largest independent SME funders
- Over 40 years’ experience supporting wholesale businesses
- Funding improves cashflow to enable purchase of stock whilst waiting for debtors to pay
- Improve cashflow to support seasonal/large inventory purchases
- Foreign exchange services to support importers exposed to currency fluctuations
- Finance to enable purchases such as warehouse automation and handling equipment
- Combining solutions across Invoice Finance, Bad Debt Protection and foreign exchange improves cashflow and mitigates international trading risk