NatWest loans half a million pounds to Specialist power engineering firm

Specialist engineering firm, R&B Switchgear Group has secured a half-a-million-pound deal with NatWest to future-proof the business and increase capacity at its UK manufacturing site by 60%.

R&B’s Manchester office has served as its global headquarters for 26 years and houses the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing hub where it produces a range of bespoke LV and HV switchboards alongside circuit breaker repairs, retrofits & refurbishments.

The investment comes as the company sets out ambitious growth strategies for 2024 in response to a series of landmark contract wins with household names including Bentley Motors, TESCO, Carnival UK the NHS and Scottish Water.

A part of this growth, the company has focussed on expanding its team and creating more local job opportunities. An employee of choice for Manchester College and Hopwood Hall, R&B has recently secured funding from the Department for Education to drive training & development opportunities for apprentices and T-Level students.

Working with NatWest, the company will benefit from 60 per cent more space to house its growing team and increased manufacturing output, creating a centre of excellence which incorporates modern office and co-working spaces with industry-leading green technologies to support the business of tomorrow.

Mark Beswick, Founder of R&B Switchgear Group, said: “R&B is a family run business with passion at its core. A huge part of our success is down to the relationships we build and nurture with our clients and our colleagues.

NatWest has been a huge supporter of our vision for almost 40 years now and the strength of this relationship has enabled us to make bold decisions which have advanced the company and helped us to realise our potential. We are hugely excited about the next chapter as we set the foundations for the future of R&B.”

Joshua Norman, Relationship Manager at NatWest Group, said: “Helping our customers expand their business and bring employment to local areas is a key part of our mission. We’re pleased to see R&B Switchboard continue their upwards trajectory and hope the completion of the Heywood site allows them to further their service offering to local businesses and the wider global market.”