Crossley Garden Buildings, the Stafford-based family-owned manufacturer of garden buildings, plans to extend its reach into new garden centres across the North West and Midlands after receiving £375,000 in new funding from Santander Business Banking.

Established in 1981 by David Crossley Senior, the business originally made garden sheds before diversifying into summerhouses, playhouses, stores and dog runs. In 2004, the firm introduced tanalisation to extend the life of its timber, with resultant sales and distribution growth. David Crossley, the current owner, joined the business straight from school and took over from his father in 2016.

The funding from Santander will help ease the seasonality of the business, allowing Crossley to manufacture more during the quieter months and hold the stock for the summer months when they are at full capacity.

David Crossley said the funding would enable the business to fulfil more orders and help to manage seasonal demand. “We have seen increased demand for our garden buildings in recent years and are excited to be targeting new markets around the UK,” he added.

Nathan Moult, business relationship director at Santander, said: “We are delighted to support Crossley Garden Buildings, a local family business, as it targets expansion in the UK. We are confident that the business will be successful and we will support the business as it continues to grow.”