The short answer
At a glance
| Typical amounts | $5,000 to $5,000,000 at MFE; larger requests are common in this group |
|---|---|
| Revenue guideline | About $17,500/month for working capital or a line; about $7,500/month for an advance |
| Time in business | Often 6+ months (working capital, equipment), 1+ year (line of credit) |
| Credit | Scores from 500 considered; about 600+ common for working capital, about 650+ for a line |
| Equipment | Terms matched to the machine's life, never more than 60 months at MFE; quote or invoice needed; down payment may be asked |
| Receivables | Factoring for real, undisputed invoices to business or government customers, usually net 30 to 90 |
| Documents | 3 to 4 months of bank statements, ID, voided check, application; financials and tax returns for larger requests |
| Speed | Same-day decisions are common on complete files; funding often next business day, never promised |
| Best for | CNC machines, packaging lines, raw materials for a big order, harvest season costs, contract payroll |
Before you apply: checklist
- Collect the purchase order or contract you need to fill
- Get supplier quotes for raw materials and any machine
- Run a receivables aging report
- Pull 3 to 4 months of business bank statements
- For large requests, prepare financial statements and tax returns
- Map the cycle: order, produce, ship, invoice, collect
- List existing loans, leases and advances
- Have your ID and a voided business check ready
Check what your business qualifies for
Merchant Fund Express reviews manufacturing, wholesale and agriculture funding requests from $5,000 to $5,000,000. Scores from 500 are considered, and same-day decisions are common on complete files.
Check funding options with Merchant Fund ExpressWho this covers
This sheet covers manufacturers of all sizes, machine shops and fabricators, wholesale distributors, agriculture operations such as farms, nurseries and growers, and government contractors who deliver goods or services on public contracts.
The cash problem is the production cycle. Materials and labor are paid at the start. Customers pay 30 to 90 days after delivery. A big order can be the best thing that happens to the business and still drain the account.
Purchase orders, equipment and receivables
- Purchase-order funding: pays a supplier so you can fill a confirmed order from a creditworthy business or government buyer. Common for distributors.
- Invoice factoring: turns delivered, undisputed invoices into cash now. Government contractors and distributors use it often. See the invoice factoring guide.
- Equipment financing: CNC machines, presses, packaging lines, tractors and irrigation equipment, with terms up to 60 months at MFE. Read the equipment financing guide.
- Working capital loan: raw materials, seasonal labor and harvest costs with fixed payments.
- Line of credit: recurring material buys for established shops, commonly 1+ year and about 650+ credit.
Section 179 may let some businesses deduct equipment in the year it is placed in service. Rules have limits, so confirm with a tax professional before counting on it.
Illustrative example: a machine shop adds a CNC mill
Assumptions: a machine shop with about $120,000 a month in revenue buys a $150,000 CNC mill. The funder asks for 15% down. Total financing cost is assumed at $25,500 over a 60-month term, the longest MFE allows.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Machine price | $150,000 |
| Down payment (15%) | $22,500 |
| Amount financed | $127,500 |
| Assumed financing cost | $25,500 |
| Total payback | $153,000 |
| Monthly payment ($153,000 / 60) | $2,550 |
If the mill handles $10,000 a month in new work at a 30% margin, it adds about $3,000 in monthly profit against a $2,550 payment. Thin, but positive, and the machine keeps working after it is paid off.
These figures are illustrations, not offers. Real terms depend on the full file review.
Funding brings customers. Is your website ready for them?
Funding usually pays for growth: more stock, staff, equipment or marketing. Make sure the customers that growth brings find a website that explains what you do and makes it easy to call, book or buy. Cheap Cheap Websites builds professional sites from $399, with Website Care at $30/month.
Common mistakes
- Funding a purchase order from an untested buyer. Purchase-order funding depends on the buyer's ability to pay.
- Factoring invoices before delivery or invoices the customer disputes.
- Financing a machine over a term longer than its useful life.
- Ignoring harvest timing. Farm revenue arrives in bursts; daily payments can strain the off-season.
- Assuming a tax deduction without checking with a tax professional.
- Sending only bank statements on a large request that needs financials.
How Merchant Fund Express handles this
Merchant Fund Express reviews manufacturers, distributors, agriculture and government contractors through its industries page. MFE offers equipment financing (up to 60 months, vendor quote required), invoice factoring for business and government customers, purchase-order and inventory funding for distributors, working capital and lines of credit. Scores from 500 are considered, and larger requests can need financials and tax returns. Service is available in English and Spanish.
With your order, quotes and statements together, apply with Merchant Fund Express.
Related
Cheap Cheap Websites builds websites. It does not lend or make funding decisions. Funding is offered by our funding partner, Merchant Fund Express, and every request is subject to its review and approval. Figures on this page are illustrations, not offers. Updated October 16, 2026.