KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
28th January 2021
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Cubico (UK) secures funding for multiple store roll out programme, creating 50 new jobs
ThinCats has agreed a £2million working capital facility for bathroom company, Cubico (UK). The tailored repayment profile, which features an initial 12-month interest-only period, will enable Cubico (UK) to drive increasing organic growth, whilst investing in 10 new showroom openings throughout the year, creating 40 new jobs in-store as well as 10 additional roles at Head Office.
Headquartered in Birstall, West Yorkshire, Cubico offers high-specification bathrooms and ancillary products as well as a full design service, selling to both trade and retail customers via its 15 showrooms as well as through a trade counter at its distribution centre.
The business was founded in 2014 by the majority shareholder, Craig Waddington, who has worked in the industry since 1999. Since then, Cubico (UK) 
has evolved into a multi-channel business with a full product offering to customers. Trade sales are made through the Cubico brand, designed to appeal to national distributors, house builders and contractors and the retail arm of the business trades under the Easy Bathrooms brand.
"When the business started, it was funded through equity and, as the business has grown, we have been able to take advantage of the opportunity to bring the shares back into company ownership with the management team," explains Laura Green, finance director at Cubico (UK). "With ambitions to expand our number of showrooms significantly, we sought to refinance the debt on our balance sheet and were introduced to ThinCats via Credit Square in London.
"ThinCats got to grips with what we were trying to achieve very early on, adapting its product to suit our requirements within a bespoke funding package. The facility offers us an additional level of headroom that will allow us to capitalise on the growth we are experiencing and accelerate our rate of expansion through our new showroom openings.
"Whereas previously we were looking at opening one store every three months, now thanks to the facility from ThinCats, we will be opening a new showroom every six weeks. Our plan is then to consolidate, maximising our turnover through the new outlets."
Dave Sherrington, Business Originator at ThinCats adds: "This is a great example of a UK business that specialises in delivering stylish and affordable high-end products and deserves the funding to drive further growth and flourish. Cubico (UK) has developed an established process for successfully identifying and opening new stores.
"As a relationship-driven funding partner, we looked to gain a strong understanding of the business and its ambitions in order to structure an effective funding solution that will enable it to continue to invest in its store roll out, while maintaining a sufficient cash buffer to reduce pressure on the business as it grows."
29th June 2018