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A landmark £3.5m investment into Advantiv from the Investment Fund for Wales comes as the fund surpasses two year milestone.

Press release 16 February 2026

  • Largest single deal to date from the £130m Investment Fund for Wales 
  • The investment supports the next phase of expansion for Advantiv
  • Industrial services firm Advantiv will use investment to open further UK offices, and build on their South Wales base
  • Fund surpasses £37 million with 102 investments into Welsh businesses to date

As the Investment Fund for Wales (IFW) continues into its third year, the British Business highlights another significant milestone - a £3.5 million equity investment made by fund manager Foresight Group - into Advantiv Limited, an industrial services firm, located in Merthyr Tydfil and Pembroke Dock.

Advantiv is a UK based industrial services and procurement company that provides a broad portfolio of engineering products, technical site services, and procurement solutions to clients across the commercial, industrial and manufacturing sectors, positioning itself as a “one stop shop” for industrial supply and engineering support.

The £3.5 million investment - the largest single deal completed by the fund to date, supporting a well-established, profitable business through the next phase of expansion. The investment will support Advantiv in opening new UK locations, growing the team, and investing in systems, processes and automation, to further strengthen its market position.

The fund was established by the British Business Bank to drive sustainable economic growth by providing access to finance for SME businesses across the whole of Wales.

Since its launch in Nov-23, the £130 million Investment Fund for Wales has invested more than £37 million into 93 Welsh businesses across the Nation, through three appointed fund managers; BCRS Business Loans, FW Capital and Foresight. This includes crowding in co investment of £9.5m.

Andy Burgess, Director at Advantiv:

This investment will support us in recruiting and developing high-calibre staff across sales, commercial and operational roles to build on our South Wales base. Strengthening our team will enable us to execute our growth strategy more effectively while maintaining high standards of service and delivery.

Our plan includes opening more locations to provide more local service support across the UK, which will enable us to expand our presence in existing markets and pursue new growth opportunities.

We offer an unlimited product and service portfolio and an ability to provide solutions to any industrial or commercial sector, private or public. Partnering with Foresight will accelerate our growth, increase employment and return some of the investment to the regions we operate in. This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our team, our customers, and our vision for the future.

Phillip Sampson, Principal, Private Equity at Foresight Group:

We’re proud to support Advantiv as they accelerate their growth plans. This investment reflects the Investment Fund for Wales ability to back profitable, wellestablished businesses with strong market position, where partial shareholder liquidity forms part of a planned succession. The funding will help strengthen the team, enhance systems and automation, and support expansion into new locations - positioning Advantiv to serve more customers with the same high standards of delivery. We look forward to supporting Andy, Alistair and the wider team through their next phase of growth.” established businesses with strong market position, where partial shareholder

Bethan Bannister, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank:

This record £3.5 million investment by Foresight through the Investment Fund for Wales is a fantastic way to mark the fund’s success as we move into its third year. It highlights how the IFW is backing ambitious Welsh businesses to grow, innovate and compete on a larger stage.

Over the past two years, the fund has gone from strength to strength – now reaching a total of more than £37m invested into 93 businesses right across Wales, including crowding in co investment of £9.5m. We’re incredibly proud to see how the Investment Fund for Wales is helping to nurture home-grown talent, attract private investment and drive sustainable economic growth throughout the country.

Further Information

If you are a journalist and have a media enquiry, please contact mediaenquiries@british-business-bank.co.uk.

Notes to editors

About the British Business Bank

The British Business Bank is the UK government’s economic development bank. Established in November 2014, its mission is to drive sustainable growth and prosperity across the UK and to enable the transition to a net zero economy, by improving access to finance for smaller businesses. Its remit is to design, deliver and efficiently manage UK-wide smaller business access to finance programmes for the UK government.

The British Business Bank’s core programmes support over £17.4bn 1  of finance to almost 64,000 2  smaller businesses.

As well as increasing the supply and diversity of finance for UK smaller businesses through its programmes, the Bank works to raise awareness of finance options available to smaller businesses. The British Business Bank Finance Hub provides independent and impartial information to businesses about finance options, featuring short films, expert guides, checklists and articles from finance providers to help make their application a success. 

About the Investment Fund for Wales  

The Nations and Regions Investment Funds increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for UK smaller businesses, providing finance to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance.

Operating in a commercially sustainable way the Nations and Regions Investment Funds deliver a £1.6bn commitment of funding through investment strategies that best meet the needs of the businesses in their nation or region.

The British Business Bank is responsible for administering the Nations and Regions Investment Funds on behalf of the UK government. We have established investment funds in areas not currently served by the Bank’s existing regional funding programme as well as launching follow-on investment funds in existing fund areas.

The £130m Investment Fund for Wales (IFW) provides a mix of debt and equity funding. IFW offers a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans from £25k to £100k, debt finance from £100k to £2m and equity investment up to £5 million. It works alongside the various support and funding organisations from Welsh Government as well as local intermediaries such as accountants, fund managers and banks, to support Wales’ smaller businesses at all stages of their development.

The funds in which the IFW invests are open to businesses with material operations, or planning to open material operations, in all areas of Wales, including North Eastern Wales, North Western Wales, Mid Wales, South West Wales and South East Wales.

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