Intelligent Environmental Services (iES), a leading North West environmental consultant, has secured a £500k invoice finance facility from Advantedge as it looks to build on its recent merger with Winsulate.

Based in Bolton, iES provides expert hazardous material consultancy to a broad range of commercial clients, specialising in asbestos, contaminated land and wider environmental contaminants such as lead, mould and infectious agents. Founded in June 2019 by managing director Danny Jones, iES has seen a surge in demand for its COVID-19 contamination services, as businesses look to minimise the impact of the global pandemic.

Last month, the firm completed a merger with Manchester-headquartered Winsulate, a national provider of asbestos and environmental remediation services. Founded in the 1970s, Winsulate has become a significant environmental risk specialist, with a history of working in some of the UK’s most complex business environments.

The merger has provided iES with considerable industry knowledge and expertise, and enables the enlarged firm to provide a bespoke end to end service of hazardous material management for clients across a range of industries and sectors.

The funding, provided by the Manchester office of national invoice finance specialist Advantedge, will support the business as it looks to increase its staff numbers, with plans to double headcount to 50 in the next 12 months. The funding will also be used to expand the firm’s marketing capabilities and drive lead generation.

Danny Jones, managing director at iES, said:

“Securing this funding is a significant step in supporting the business, both in the immediate term and when looking to expand in the future. Following our merger with Winsulate, we are now in a great position to provide a truly tailored service across the hazardous materials market, and can add real value to clients.

“Darren and the team at Advantedge were great to work with on this – they really understood the needs of the business. As a service provider, we have often found it a greater challenge to access this type of funding, but the Advantedge team took the time to understand these complexities, and have put in place a deal that works for all parties.”

Darren Cottenden, director at Advantedge, said:

“At Advantedge, our focus has always been on supporting local businesses, with sales teams on the ground across the UK. I’m therefore extremely pleased to be able to complete this transaction, and support iES as the business looks to expand and create local jobs in a difficult time for British business. We wish Danny and the team all the success for the future.”