Propel, a leading specialist UK asset finance provider, and Azets, the top ten UK accounting, tax and business advisory firm and the largest SME regional practice across Europe, have today announced the formation of a significant strategic partnership.
As a result of the alliance, thousands more SMEs will be able to gain access to fast and flexible asset finance to acquire the equipment and vehicles they need to drive growth and prosper.
Propel is a specialist asset finance lender, helping more than 40,000 businesses across the UK over 25 years, to access finance to acquire business-critical equipment quickly and easily. They are also one of the leading vendor finance platforms in the UK, supporting major equipment manufacturers and suppliers with lease programmes. All solutions are delivered through a personal, progressive, and partner-orientated approach, harnessing a combination of teamwork, talent and technology. Last April, Propel partnered with Barclays in a landmark deal to provide one million small and medium sized business (SME) customers with access to asset finance. Propel’s proprietary technology platform, ‘Propeller’, underpins the commitment from both partners of providing outstanding personal service and ensures a swift and seamless customer experience.
Propel is majority owned by Cabot Square Capital LLP, a leading PE firm for financial services in the UK. The company is also an accredited delivery partner of the British Business Bank.
Mark Catton, CEO, Propel Finance PLC, said:
“I’m delighted Azets has chosen us as their strategic partner for asset finance, working closely with their teams and clients around the UK to finance investment in capital equipment. Azets is one of the largest accounting, tax and business advisory firms in the UK, with an outstanding and rapidly growing SME regional practice. We’re proud to be able to offer our services to Azets’ clients. We know that SMEs are incredibly important to the recovery and vibrancy of the UK economy and we’re here to support businesses needing or wanting help to invest and grow. Azets stand out for their passion for local client service and we want our own offering to complement that really well.”
Azets is the UK’s largest regional accountancy and business advisor to SMEs and is a top 10 UK accountancy business. Azets is an international accounting, tax, audit, advisory and business services group with 160 offices across the UK and Europe, over 6,500 employees and 600 Partners. Azets is focused on delivering a highly personalised service through its local office network and via its market-leading proprietary digital workplace technology, ‘CoZone’. A unique cloud-based portal, CoZone offers SMEs a digitally-led accountancy service with instant access to and management of real time information about their business. CoZone simplifies workflows, increases productivity and provides for a highly interactive client relationship. Clients range across the full range of business sectors and include SMEs, large scale businesses, public sector organisations and private clients.
Trusted by over 120,000 clients globally, Azets delivers a complete range of accounting, tax, audit, business and advisory services for businesses digitally and at their door to help them achieve their ambitions. Clients know Azets for helping them focus on what they do best; to grow, invest and prosper. Access to the right finance solutions, therefore, plays a key role in that vision.
Paul Clifford, Regional CEO and Strategic Partnerships Leader, Azets stated:
“SMEs, the lifeblood of the UK economy, are facing more challenges than ever due to the pandemic, Brexit and Government financial help coming to an end this year. Our SME clients are looking for new solutions to their cash flow and funding issues and asset finance provides them with a great way to free the cash tied up in their existing assets. Our partnership with Propel is a demonstration of our commitment to solving important problems for our clients and providing a brilliant client experience each and every time, something which fits closely with Propel’s mission. We look forward to working with Propel to deliver the right asset finance solutions, driven by our shared values of providing the first-class and fast service that businesses need to succeed.”
Peter Georgiou, founder and CEO of SUPPER, a high-end takeaway delivery service in London who financed 60 new bikes via Propel in September 2020, commented:
“During the past 6 months we have seen enormous business growth with deliveries rising from 1,000 a month, to over 13,000 a month year on year and turnover up a staggering 500%. Partnering with Propel has made a big difference and allowed us to grow in the knowledge we can finance new vehicles when needed. We are just preparing for our next fleet order and will be making a move to electric bikes later this year, also with Propel’s support. Our mission is to change the world of delivery and we can only do this with a market leading finance partner like Propel.”
For more information about Propel, visit https://www.propelfinance.co.uk
For more information about Azets, visit https://www.azets.co.uk
