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Northamptonshire manufacturer Pallite secures £1.6m UKEF-backed loan to meet global export demand

December 3, 2025

A Northamptonshire manufacturer of sustainable warehouse storage and packaging solutions is expanding its global footprint after securing £1.6 million in government-backed finance.

Pallite Group, based in Wellingborough, has won new export opportunities across Europe, the US, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand, prompting the need for additional working capital to keep pace with growing international demand. The company has now secured a £1.6 million corporate facility from KBC Bank, supported by UK Export Finance’s (UKEF) General Export Facility (GEF).

The new funding has allowed Pallite to refinance existing loans, scale production and invest in upgraded ERP and IT systems to support operations on four continents. The business has already recruited two permanent manufacturing staff, bringing its Wellingborough workforce to 40, and expects further UK job creation over the next year.

Founded on sustainable engineering principles, Pallite produces lightweight, fully recyclable warehouse racking, packaging and logistics products made from honeycomb-structured paperboard. The material—comprised of more than 85% recycled fibre bonded with PVA glue—is durable enough to replace traditional wooden and plastic systems while reducing environmental impact.

The company’s innovations have gained international recognition, including the UK Warehousing Association’s Environment Award in 2022, the King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation in 2023, and France’s 2025 Prix Stratégies Logistique de l’Innovation Durable.

With exports increasing and global warehouse operators seeking more environmentally friendly solutions, Pallite approached UKEF after advice from KBC Bank. Jo Archer, UKEF’s Export Finance Manager for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, helped identify the GEF route, enabling KBC to unlock flexible working capital.

“Pallite exemplifies the pioneering spirit and ambition we see among UK SMEs,” Archer said. “Through our General Export Facility, we’ve helped them access the finance needed to meet international demand and support local jobs.”

Pallite chairman Robert Audas said the facility had been “pivotal” to its global expansion plans. “This funding allows us to invest in new markets, strengthen operations worldwide and continue supporting innovation and employment here in the UK,” he said.

KBC Bank’s relationship director Richard Whitehead added that the partnership with UKEF allowed the bank to offer more flexible working capital solutions. “We look forward to helping yet more SMEs to thrive on the world stage,” he said.

UKEF delivered a record £14.5 billion of financing last year, supporting more than 667 UK exporters and helping sustain up to 70,000 jobs nationwide.