Trade Finance
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Your Passport to Global Commerce - Fuelling International Trade
Our comprehensive trade finance solutions are meticulously tailored to be your guiding light in the world of international trade.
- Limited Company
- Importer
- Funding for Upfront Purchases
- Funding within 2-3 Days
- and more.
What is a Trade Finance?
Trade finance encompasses the various financial instruments and products used to facilitate international trade, from the purchase of goods to their delivery. International Trade Finance offers businesses access to the capital they need to navigate the intricacies of global commerce, covering everything from pre-shipment financing to post-shipment settlements.
Enhance Cash Flow
Trade finance provides the working capital needed to purchase goods, ensuring your business can meet international orders without straining cash reserves.
Risk Mitigation
It mitigates risks associated with international trade, including currency fluctuations, political instability, and non-payment by buyers.
Access to New Markets
Trade finance empowers your business to tap into new global markets and expand your reach beyond domestic borders.
Competitive Edge
It allows you to offer flexible payment terms and trade credit to buyers, making your products or services more attractive in the global marketplace.
At Howe Commercial Finance, we offer a comprehensive suite of trade finance services, meticulously designed to meet the unique requirements of international trade.
Our team of experts will work closely with you to structure financing solutions that align seamlessly with your international business objectives. Whether you’re involved in importing or exporting goods, exploring new markets, or mitigating risks in international transactions, our services include:
- Import Finance: Secure financing to pay overseas suppliers, covering the costs of imported goods before they reach your hands.
- Export Finance: Access funds to meet the costs associated with delivering goods to international buyers and receiving payment.
- Letters of Credit (LCs): Employ LCs to provide secure and irrevocable payment guarantees for international transactions.
- Trade Credit Insurance: Mitigate the risk of non-payment by buyers, ensuring you receive payment for goods or services delivered.
Alongside our trade finance expertise, we also provide specialised financial services such as Buy-To-Let Mortgage Brokerage, Commercial Mortgage Brokerage, and Energy Efficiency Financing — empowering businesses and property investors to access the right funding solutions for growth, investment, and sustainability.
At Howe Commercial Finance, we are committed to providing tailored trade finance solutions to support the success of your international business ventures.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Trade finance covers the funding gap between paying your supplier and getting paid by your customer. The lender pays the supplier on your behalf (often using a letter of credit or direct import loan), and you repay the lender once you’ve received the goods and sold them on. It lets you take on bigger orders than your own cash flow could handle, without tying up working capital.
When you’ve got a confirmed order or purchase opportunity that’s bigger than your cash flow can handle, particularly if there’s a long gap between paying upfront for stock and getting paid when it’s sold. If you’re turning down orders because you can’t fund the stock, trade finance is often the answer.
Trade finance funds the buying side, the stock, raw materials, or imports you need to fulfil an order. Invoice finance funds the selling side, the unpaid invoices sitting on your ledger, once you’ve delivered. Many businesses use both together: trade finance to buy, invoice finance to unlock the cash once they’ve sold. It’s a complete working capital cycle when combined.
A letter of credit is a guarantee from a bank that your supplier will be paid, as long as they meet the agreed shipping and documentation terms. To get one, you’ll need a trade finance facility with a lender, the supplier’s details, the commercial terms, and shipping documents. Your broker or lender arranges the paperwork and communicates with the supplier’s bank. It’s widely used in international trade because it protects both buyer and seller.
Yes. Smaller trade finance facilities are available, though lenders will want to see a confirmed order, a reliable supplier, and a clear buyer on the other side. Trade finance is transaction-led, lenders care more about the individual deal than your overall balance sheet, which makes it more accessible than a general business loan in some cases.
Purchase order finance is a subset of trade finance. It’s funding specifically triggered by a confirmed purchase order from a creditworthy customer. The lender pays your supplier, you fulfil the order, the customer pays, and the loan is cleared. It’s faster to arrange than a full trade finance facility and suits one-off large orders rather than ongoing trading.
