In a move set to reshape the UK’s commercial finance brokerage landscape, Oldham-based PMD Business Finance has acquired a majority stake in Rotherham’s Custom Business Finance. The deal creates a significant national intermediary with combined expertise spanning the North of England and beyond.
Acquisition and Strategic Ambition
The transaction, for which financial terms were not disclosed, sees PMD take controlling ownership of the Yorkshire firm. Custom Business Finance will continue to operate under its own brand and will be led by its existing management team of directors Martin Taylor, Chris Mangle, and Dave Catling.
For PMD’s managing director, Tom Brown, the acquisition is a pivotal step. “This is a really exciting strategic step forward for PMD and it will help us progress towards our goal of being the UK’s leading asset and commercial finance intermediary,” he said. He described the deal as strengthening the company’s long-term market position and providing “a platform for significant growth.”
The strategic rationale is clear. PMD, which brokers over £150 million of lending annually, gains immediate and deep-rooted access to key regional markets. “Custom has built a strong, credible reputation with clients nationwide, but particularly in the Yorkshire, Midlands, Humberside and Lincolnshire regions,” noted Mr Brown. He emphasised that the Custom team’s commercial finance experience perfectly complements PMD’s existing operations.
This expansion comes at a critical time for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The UK government has been actively seeking to improve finance access through initiatives like the Growth Guarantee Scheme, which provides a 70% government-backed guarantee for lenders. However, businesses face elevated interest rates and uncertainty, with many now needing to refinance pandemic-era loans on commercial terms. By combining forces, PMD and Custom aim to offer more robust support to SMEs navigating this complex environment.
Company Backgrounds and Growth Trajectories
PMD Business Finance was founded in Oldham in 2010 and has since supported thousands of businesses with more than £1.5bn in funding. The company, which has a team of 65, was subject to a management buyout in March 2021 led by Tom Brown, Rob Dermody, and Lee Schofield. Founders Peter Dobson and Mike Rodgers retained a minority stake. The firm offers a wide suite of services including asset finance, commercial mortgages, and invoice finance, and recently launched a dedicated Debt Advisory Team in June 2025.
Custom Business Finance, established a decade ago in 2016, brings a strong regional footprint and sector specialism. The company has advised on over £250m in lending advances across more than 1,500 transactions, with clients in transport, manufacturing, healthcare, and renewables. With an estimated annual revenue of $427,775 and a small, focused team, Custom has built its reputation on delivering bespoke finance packages. The deal follows a share reorganisation at Custom documented at Companies House in early March 2026.
The acquisition also taps into the evolving financial landscape of Yorkshire, a region highlighted as a “Northern Powerhouse of financial services” with West Yorkshire being a significant hub. South Yorkshire, where Custom is based, has a business finance landscape characterised by a higher proportion of established businesses seeking growth finance.
Leadership Alignment and Future Blueprint
Beyond commercial logic, the deal is underpinned by pre-existing relationships and shared values. Martin Taylor, a director at Custom, previously worked with PMD’s Tom Brown earlier in their careers. “This has all felt very natural and the right strategic fit for Custom,” Mr Taylor said. “There is real alignment between the two businesses as we both share the same values and business ethos, particularly in developing strong lender relationships and doing the right thing for customers for the long-term.”
Tom Brown indicated that this partnership model could be replicated. “The model that we’ve developed together with the team at Custom serves as a blueprint for additional future partnerships as we continue to scale,” he stated, signalling potential further consolidation in the sector.
On the legal side, PMD was advised by the team at CG Professional, led by Benjamin Dredge and Senior Associate Victoria Brown, who joined the firm in October 2024. Custom Business Finance was represented by Amy Cusworth from Oxley & Coward Solicitors LLP. Steven Crookes of Sheffield-based Knowles Warwick Chartered Accountants, a firm which raised £10.2 million for clients in 2020, alongside Steve Watson and Andrew Wood of Harris and Co Accountants, also provided advice to the Rotherham firm.
