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Calmia is a retail concept based on Holistic living. The business provides a range of clothing, accessories and books related to yoga, natural remedies and alternative living and was founded by Lucy Wakefield a leading health and beauty writer. In addition to the retail opportunity the business operates a holistic day spa in central London.
General Capital provided an investment of £300K in 2004 at an early stage in the business when the concept was established and operating, but the company was pre-profit and needing development capital to roll out the concept. General Capital's investment, via a sale and leaseback on the one existing store, enabled the establishment of a new concession in Selfridges and provided sufficient additional working capital for the directors to be able to explore further opportunities. These included providing a branded product range for Boots, and a tie up with a leading Japanese skin care range.
As a result of these activities Calmia was able to attract £3M of investment from a private equity fund.
CardPoint is the UK's largest independent cash machine operator and dispenses over £300M per year.
Mark Mills, the founder of CardPoint, approached General Capital in early 2000, just six months after launching the business and at a stage when he had sorted out much of the legislative requirements for the company but was struggling to find appropriate funding. General Capital judged the business model to be robust and extremely scaleable and more importantly judged Mark as the sort of driven individual that we like to back. An investment of £500K was provided and this first external funding was sufficient to create the necessary momentum to get the business to a stage where it was able to obtain institutional and high street backing.
CardPoint was floated on the Alternative Investment Market in 2002.
D1 Oils is a provider of bio-diesel and the business activities include control of the vegetable oil feedstock through to production and operation of the refineries themselves. The company is currently building a global portfolio of planting and refining operations.
General Capital provided D1 Oils with an initial investment of £400K in 2003 at a stage when the initial refinery was still in testing and substantially pre-revenue. General Capital's investment was based on a fundamental belief in the likelihood of there being a big and growing market for bio-diesel in the future, combined with our confidence in the operational business model. Following a longer than anticipated trial and testing period General Capital provided a further £400K as follow on investment in early 2004.
D1 Oils was floated on the Alternative Investment Market in October 2004.
Founded in 1989, Longbridge International plc was floated on the AIM market in 1997. The Company provided recruitment, training, development, and executive search services in Banking and Legal markets.
During 2004 and the initial months of 2005 Longbridge encountered a number of trading difficulties which resulted in June 2005 in the de-listing of the quoted shares and a severe working capital shortfall. Having been introduced by the Nomad General Capital provided both financial and corporate support sufficient to ensure that the Company was able to continue trading, and to resolve the structural issues, with the aim of executing a reverse acquisition into Greatfleet plc. This was achieved in Dec 2005.
General Capital retains lending facilities into Greatfleet plc under a much stronger covenant and holds a substantial minority equity position having exercised Convertible Loan Notes.
Pre-X provides opportunities for private investors to invest in private companies prior to an intended Initial Public Offering ('IPO'). Investment may be made directly into the businesses presented or through the funds raised by Pre-X for the purpose.
The Company was formed in 2005 by John Blowers, previously MD of Angelbourse, and General Capital provided initial working capital for the business in addition to retaining an equity stake. Since inception Pre-X has been able to attract high levels of good quality deal flow and as a direct result has been able to introduce further opportunities back to General Capital to consider.
General Capital was able to close four new investments introduced by Pre-X totalling over £1.5M in the six months following its investment.
Based in Suffolk Stewart Landscape Solutions Ltd ('SLS') is an established landscape gardening company, incorporated in 2001, and serving clients in both the private and corporate sector. General Capital assisted this company in 2004 through the provision of a combined Hire Purchase and Commercial Loan facility of £160,000 utilised to acquire the business and assets of a local earthworks company. This purchase was transformational for the overall business and has contributed to strong and continued growth for the business.
Corporate clients of SLS include; Countryside properties plc, FPD Savills, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Taylor Woodrow Group, Chelmsford Borough Council, Braintree District Council, Jackson Civil Engineering and The Environment Agency amongst many others.
General Capital holds a warrant over a minority shareholding in SLS.