Kennelbuild lands another round of funding off the back of successful year following NPIF II investment

Kennelbuild lands another round of funding off the back of successful year following NPIF II investment

Cheshire-based Kennelbuild, a market leader in the design and construction of kennels and catteries, is celebrating a strong period of delivery and expansion, creating six new jobs.

The growth comes following an investment in October 2024 delivered by NPIF II – FW Capital Debt Finance, which is managed by FW Capital as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).

The funding has supported the firm’s ambitious growth strategy enabling it to expand its team, increase manufacturing capacity, and secure significant new projects.

Since the investment, Kennelbuild has also bolstered its in-house design function, and secured a full order book for the next 18 months, with a robust pipeline extending into the next three years. These developments have strengthened its ability to deliver complex, multi-million-pound contracts for long-standing clients such as the RSPCA, Ministry of Defence (MoD), and several regional police forces.

The business, which was previously acquired by Ascent Advisory Group, has been able to focus resources on the front-end design function to reduce a typically long development period – a historically challenging stage for the sector.

As a result, Kennelbuild has now taken on the role of Principal Contractor for a major MoD site, alongside a landmark project with the RSPCA in York. The latter, an 18-month contract involving the construction of six new buildings, received planning approval in July 2025 after nearly a decade of applications by other contractors.

Now, after a year of growth, the business has landed a further £250,000 from NPIF II – FW Capital Debt Finance, to create four new roles and to use as additional working capital.

Kennelbuild continues to be a trusted contractor for the RSPCA, working closely with its Central Licensing Office to ensure all designs meet the latest standards for animal welfare and containment. It remains Constructionline Gold accredited and is currently set to hire more people to its ever-expanding team, with a particular focus on increasing its site management capacity to meet demand.

Fergus Prutton, managing director at Kennelbuild, said: “Thanks to the NPIF II funding, we’ve had the breathing room to invest in our people and pipeline. Construction projects take time to come to fruition but we’re now seeing that work pay off. Our team is growing, we’re expanding into adjacent sectors like veterinary facilities and farm diversification, and we’re continuing to deliver high-spec spaces for some of the UK’s most important animal welfare organisations.”

Alistair Igo, portfolio executive at FW Capital, added: “It’s great to see how this investment is directly translating into jobs and new contracts. Kennelbuild is a fantastic example of how strategic funding can help Northern businesses grow sustainably and confidently. The team now has a three-year pipeline and is building specialist infrastructure that few others can match.”

Sue Barnard, senior manager at the British Business Bank, said: “NPIF II is designed to give ambitious Northern businesses the financial backing they need to take bold steps forward. Kennelbuild’s journey reflects how this support can accelerate growth, open new markets, and create skilled jobs. With the right funding in place, businesses like Kennelbuild can move confidently into their next phase of development, and we’re proud to be part of that story.”

The £660m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIFII) covers the entire North of England and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.

The purpose of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the North of England. The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for the North’s smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance.