Licensed apparel specialist Brands In Limited has completed a £1.9m management buy-out, supported by a funding package delivered by Praetura.
Founded in 2012 by Rick Lowe and Lee Craze, Brands In designs, manufactures and supplies clothing and accessories in the UK and Europe for household names. The company has secured supply agreements with leading retailers such as Boohoo, George, Next and Matalan and has benefited from strong online partnerships, including Zalando and Amazon.
The London-based business produces licensed apparel products for global studios such as Disney, Warner Brothers and Hasbro, major franchises such as Friends, Harry Potter and Star Wars, and bands including AC/DC and Pink Floyd.
Brands In is now using the funding from Praetura to accelerate its expansion plans, which include breaking into new markets in Europe, such as Germany, France and Scandinavia, and expanding the range of apparel it designs to include nightwear, accessories and sweat shirting.
Praetura structured a facility comprising an invoice discount line and a Growth Guarantee Scheme (GGS) loan to support the management buy-out. The funding enabled Managing Director Rick Lowe to increase his shareholding to 95%, acquiring shares from majority shareholder Lee Craze as part of the agreed MBO structure.
Rick Lowe, managing director of Brands In Limited, said: “We are extremely pleased to have completed this management buy-out, which marks an important milestone for Brands In. Over the years, we’ve built strong relationships with leading brands and global franchises, and this funding provides a strong platform to build on that momentum. It ensures continuity for our customers and partners, while allowing us to strengthen our offering and support the next phase of our growth.
The collaborative approach from all parties involved helped the transaction progress smoothly, and we’re grateful for the professionalism shown throughout. Praetura’s responsive and pragmatic support ensured the deal moved efficiently, enabling us to remain focused on the business and continue delivering high-quality licensed products at scale.”
Jeff Greenfield, sales director at Praetura Commercial Finance, said: “This was a deal that required everyone to work closely together. From the start, we focused on putting the right funding in place and supported Rick and his team throughout the process. We are pleased to have completed the buy-out and to be backing the business as it continues to grow.”
The deal was introduced by Richard Massing from Kingswood Corporate Finance Ltd and supported by EMW Law LLP for legal documentation.
