3B International

Founded by current Managing Director Claire Culm’s father, Geoff in 1998, family business 3B International relocated to Truro in 2001. The Helston-based logistics company first approached SWIG Finance in 2011 for finance to invest in business expansion following a strategic review.

Unable to raise enough bank finance to fulfil their plans, 3B International were successful in accessing a £40,000 loan from the South West Loans Fund, Convergence European Regional Development Fund Finance for businesses with growth potential. This was followed by a further growth loan of £25,000 in 2014 after the business had successfully achieved its original targets.

Since investment, 3B’s head count has doubled from 8 to 16, with sales rising from £300,000 to £720,000 in 2013 and the company is on track to reach £1.2 million for the current year. 3B now has a new warehouse and a completely new IT system to manage orders and stock as well as an effective marketing strategy focused on networking, relationship building and social media. The company now has two arms: Distribution – getting parcels out across the world, and Fulfilment – known as pick and pack – which involves stock holding, packing orders and distribution on behalf of clients, supporting small businesses as well as larger clients such as Marbel, Pendennis Shipyard and A&P Group in Falmouth.

Managing Director Claire Culm said, “The loans provided by SWIG have allowed us to invest in our business, quadruple our turnover, double our workforce, start to deliver healthy profits and help secure the future of the company.

“All of this would have been much more difficult without SWIG’s support.”