The bad news: Two years ago, getting six-figure traditional financing for a smaller manufacturing business was fairly straightforward. Today, it remains about as difficult as when the financial crisis first began to unfold. Banks are as reluctant as ever to finance small businesses, as they continue trying to limit their risk amid the economic turmoil. According to the FDIC, the volume of bank loans dropped in 2009 by $587.3 billion, or 7.5%, from 2008—the biggest full-year decline since World War II.

The result: Many small manufacturing companies are either struggling to stay afloat or finding it difficult to capitalize on upcoming commercial growth opportunities. According to the 2009 Year-End Economic Report published by the National Small Business Association, 39% of small businesses report they are unable to get adequate financing for their business. No doubt many of these are manufacturing companies.

So where should smaller manufacturing companies go to get the financing they need? The answer is to the most experienced and competitive private banks and alternative lending groups for small businesses.

Alternative Financing Options: Unlocking the value of your assets

If you’re a manufacturing company, there is simply no need to let your business be held hostage to the ongoing credit crisis. This is because there is already a well-developed market for alternative lending that can provide working capital for small businesses with assets. Loans can be secured against cash flow, accounts receivable, inventory, purchase orders, premises, machinery and equipment, and even the intellectual property associated with a brand or patent.

What many businesses don’t realize is the extent to which they can leverage their business assets to secure funding. Help for small business lending is not on the way: it’s already here. Alternative financing options can help many businesses get the backing they need when the banks say “No.” Best of all, this type of financing is now affordable. Loans from the most competitive private banks and small business lenders are priced at bank-like rates upwards, depending on the level of risk of the business being financed.

Securing traditional financing through banks and other financial organizations has now become highly challenging. As banks pull back more traditional commercial-and-industrial lending, they are no longer willing to lend even to small businesses with solid financials. Their security demands have also increased. This has pushed some companies to distress. It is preventing many others from taking advantage of commercial growth opportunities that lie ahead.

Unsurprisingly, businesses are increasingly turning to suitable private banks and other alternative lenders for small businesses. According to Bank of America Business Capital, 49% of manufacturing firms expect to use asset-based lines of credit in 2010, up from 42% last year. This type of alternative financing, once considered a last-resort option, is now regarded as a fundamental financing solution. Since alternative lenders in this space generally focus on collateral rather than credit-worthiness, they are able to do deals that more traditional lenders shy away from.

Getting the financing you need

When times are difficult, unlocking the inherent value of your assets, especially intangible assets, is attractive. Today, small business financing is affordable, offers flexible loan structures, and can provide the borrowing power that cash-flow lending alone may no longer be able to supply. At US Capital Partners, for instance, businesses can borrow money using their liquid, current assets or their fixed assets as collateral. Our small business loans are priced competitively with cash-flow loans, and come with fewer financial covenants. They can be used to secure working capital, but also to finance growth or acquisitions.

Getting the right financing can make all the difference for a small manufacturing business. Earlier this year, US Capital Partners arranged and co-loaned a $3.5 million senior secured credit facility for Consensus Orthopedics, a medical artificial joint implant manufacturer and distributor. The new credit facility included a revolving line of credit for both domestic and international assets along with a growth capital term loan to support the company’s continued domestic and international expansion.

It is important that your small business lender is able to provide you with service that matches your company’s specific needs to appropriately priced capital. It can also be helpful and cost-effective to work with a firm that not only arranges asset-based financing for small businesses, but is also able to offer funding—especially in situations where they can provide additional sources of capital from their own fund to “fill the gap” in your required capital.

If your manufacturing company is struggling to stay afloat or finding it difficult to capitalize on upcoming commercial growth opportunities, know that there is new and affordable financing available despite these tough times for small business lending.

If you would like to know more about how your business can secure the funding it needs, visit http://www.uscapitalpartners.net or call (415) 882-7160.

Read more on PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance

Read more on Boston Globe

Read more on Business Wire

Recently, FICO has changed some of its rules for the credit approval systems for these businesses. It is important for business owners to understand these changes to the credit score formula. These types of changes may affect some of the decisions business owners make for the success of their business and it is important to pay close attention to these changes.

FICO has announced that authorized users on credit accounts will not have that credit account factored into their credit scores. In other words, credit determine by a credit account for the primary user on the account. This means several things for a small business owner as a credit holder.

Loss of credit: Small business owners should be aware that their credit scores might likely drop because of this change. They are essentially losing credit because they will no longer get credit improvement for being an authorized user on a successfully managed credit account. Business owners should look into their credit to see how many accounts they are on where they are listed as authorized rather than primary. Be mindful that the more authorized accounts you are on, the lower your credit may drop.

Fraud: If you actually had to pay to have your name added as an authorized user on a credit account, you should be aware that you might actually be guilty of fraud. Business owners should be aware of this and have their names immediately removed from any accounts that they paid to have their names added to. The last thing a small business owner needs is a fraud lawsuit coming up on their record. It is best to stay away from these types of accounts all together.

Stop adding yourself to new accounts: Especially newlyweds or business partners. If you are considering having a joint credit account, do not. This decision could only put your small business in jeopardy. Consider opening two separate credit accounts with your name only as a primary user. This is the only way to ensure you maintain a good credit score.

Open a credit account: If you do not have any credit accounts that list you as the primary user, it may be a good idea to open one or two credit accounts of your own. Make sure they are accounts that you can afford to maintain and pay off. This is a great way to improve your credit score. Especially consider opening an account if you are a woman. Women tend to be authorized users more often than men. This means that women will be more impacted by these changes and should consider their own accounts.

Read more on New Hampshire Union Leader

Read more on WSB-TV 2 Atlanta

Real estate developers are coming up with specialized malls that cater to customers that visit these malls for a specific product. Initially, developers preferred M.G. Road for setting up shopping malls but now with the growth of other areas have given opportunities to developers to explore new avenues such as Sohna Road, Golf Course Road and Palam Vihar. This clustering of retail options in an area accessible easily from the airport has resulted in a large number of real estate developers investing in the creation of hotel space in the city ahead of the Commonwealth Games 2010.

Quality of life in the privately managed residential properties in Gurgaon remains relatively good due to high standards of security, private parking, common area maintenance and sanitation being the norm.  The plots in South City-I are being purchased by individuals who want to construct single homes.

Nirvana, a project launched by Unitech was one that remained promising for a long time. Its turning point came when once the sample apartment was ready; the developer announced that power back-up would be provided for even standalone villas and townhouses. This was one move which swung the market and the prices escalated within a space of a few weeks.

A combination of all these factors has made locating and re-location to suburbs an optimum choice for corporates.

According to the new Master plan Gurgaon is stretching its boundaries to Manesar and it will be the new area for real estate development. Many builders have started acquiring lands in Gurgaon Manesar Expressway to develop townships. The new industrial areas have been proposed along the express highway adjacent to IMT Manesar and a metro line has also been proposed, which will terminate at Manesar Village.

For more details on Gurgaon Properties, log on to magicbricks.com