by Dave Clarke, Sales Director, Capitalflow

What is Asset Finance?

Put simply, Asset Finance is a way of purchasing new and used equipment (e.g machinery or vehicles) using Lease, Hire Purchase or Refinancing.

The main benefit for a customer is that they can spread the cost of an asset over a fixed period, which frees up cashflow for other business projects and investments.

With Hire Purchase, the customer hires the asset from Capitalflow for an agreed amount of money over a specified repayment term. Often, businesses provide a deposit followed by equal and regular monthly payments. At the end of the repayment term, the customer owns the asset once the final payment has been made.

With Leasing, as with Hire Purchase, the customer makes regular payments over a specified repayment term, but it differs from Hire Purchase in that the customer does not own the asset during the leasing contract, however once the final payment is met, the customer has the option to extend the lease (known as secondary rentals), upgrade the item, buy it at an agreed sum or simply return it to Capitalflow.

We’re always on hand to help customers decide best options for them.

Refinancing is very useful for businesses to use their existing assets to release cashflow. Again, as with Hire Purchase and Leasing, once the refinancing has been agreed, the business makes regular repayments over a specified repayment term.

What items do you finance?

It’s an endless list really……..the most common assets financed include trucks, trailers, vans, cars, plant & machinery, farm machinery, cranes, manufacturing/production lines, woodwork, office equipment, medical equipment and printing equipment. There are many others as well, it’s more a case of what can’t we finance rather than what can we finance!  

Who is your typical customer?

There’s no typical customer, we deal with a variety of customers from the local delivery driver to the local farmer to large multi-fleet transportation and construction companies.

What does your average deal look like?

An average deal will typically support customers with the purchase of a new or used truck/trailer/digger/van. Generally these deals will be funded over a term of 24 – 84 months, with the customer supporting the deal by way of a pre-agreed deposit.  We will look at all deals, but most common deals are from €10,000 up to €1 million.

How long does it take to complete a deal?

Typically a standard deal will be approved within 24 hours with more complex deals within 72 hours. With our new digital systems, customers can go onto our website and get an immediate quotation. We also have a nationwide team of Sales Directors on the ground who are available to chat at any stage and talk through the next steps.

What’s the most unusual deal you have ever completed?

It was for a 6 metre illuminated Reindeer and an illuminated Majestic Stag……it’s a long story but as I said earlier it’s more a case of what can’t we finance than what can we finance!  

What makes us different from other finance providers out there, is we’ll be straight up from the get go – we listen to what the customer needs and will try our best to help them get finance, but if we can’t, we won’t keep them hanging, we’ll let them know right there and then.

To find out more or to get an instant quote, go to capitalflow.ie/asset-finance/

David Clarke, Asset Finance Sales Director, Leinster