Manufacturers often buy materials and run production before customers pay the invoice. Lead times, deposit requests from suppliers and the cost of keeping a line staffed can tighten cash even when the order book is healthy. Job shops, light manufacturers, fabricators and similar production businesses use a merchant cash advance to purchase materials, maintain equipment and fill orders while receivables catch up.
Need merchant cash advance funding of $25K to $5M for your business?
How Manufacturing Use a Merchant Cash Advance
Buying raw materials or components for a confirmed order
Repairing or replacing production equipment to avoid downtime
Covering payroll through a long production cycle
Paying suppliers who require deposits or shorter terms than your customers offer
Adding tooling, packaging or quality-control equipment
Preparing inventory ahead of a seasonal or contract shipment
Cash Flow in This Business
Customer payments may arrive well after materials and labor have been paid. Card volume can be limited; many manufacturers rely on checks and ACH deposits, which funders can still review on business bank statements. A short explanation of job cycles, large one-time deposits and any slow-paying accounts helps the statements make sense.
How a Merchant Cash Advance Works
A merchant cash advance is a purchase of a portion of your future receivables. A funder provides a lump sum, typically between $25,000 and $5,000,000, and collects an agreed share of your future business revenue as described in the written agreement. Because the funder is buying future revenue, reviews focus on how your business performs, not only on your credit history. Every offer comes from the funder and is spelled out before you sign. Forward Funders is a broker, not a lender or direct funder; we help you compare options.
Illustrative scenario: materials for a larger-than-usual order
This is a hypothetical, illustrative example, not a client result, testimonial, or offer. A shop accepts a larger production run than usual. The supplier wants a materials deposit before the customer’s invoice is due. The owner prepares recent business bank statements and a brief description of the order, then applies so funders can review the file. This is not a claim that large orders are funded or that any amount will be offered.
What Funders Look At
Funders typically review business bank statements, time in business and deposit history. They may ask about your products and how customers pay. Equipment is not described here as required collateral; each funder sets its own terms. No approval is guaranteed.
Our Process in 3 Steps
Apply online. Complete our short Funding Application and attach recent business bank statements.
Compare offers. We present your manufacturing business to funders in our network and walk you through the offers that come back.
Review and decide. Once you accept an offer and the funder completes its review, funding follows the funder's own process and timing. Timing is not guaranteed.
Why Forward Funders
Forward Funders LLC is a broker, not a direct funder. We shop your file to multiple funders so you can compare options side by side instead of applying one at a time. We work with manufacturing-business owners nationwide. Call (718) 619-9867 or visit our Apply page to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
We rarely take credit cards. Can we still apply?
Yes. Funders review total business bank deposits, not only card sales.
Do you work with manufacturers nationwide?
Yes. We work with business owners in all 50 states.
Can funds be used for equipment repairs?
Working capital is often used for repairs, tooling and materials. The funder sets the terms of any offer.
What if one customer makes up a large share of sales?
Describe that concentration when you apply. It may be discussed in review. It is not described here as an automatic yes or no.
Is this the same as a bank equipment loan?
No. A merchant cash advance is a purchase of future receivables. Forward Funders is a broker, not a lender, and shops your file to funders.
Prepare your application
Start with a completed Funding Application and your last four months of business bank statements. Month-to-date activity is only needed after the 10th of the month (from the 11th onward). That short list is a starting point, not a promise that every funder asks for the same items. See Your Funding Application: What to Send and Your Merchant Cash Advance Application Journey. You can also begin on our Apply page.
Related information: wholesale businesses.
More on our home page · States We Serve · Apply page
Forward Funders LLC is a broker, not a funder. Merchant cash advances are purchases of future receivables; approval is not guaranteed and terms come from the funder.
Forward Funders LLC · 6231 Amboy Rd., Staten Island, NY · (718) 619-9867