Leumi ABL provides Sigma Pharmaceuticals with £50m asset based lending facility to support growth
Posted: 19 Sep 2025 | Share
Award winning ABL provider, Leumi ABL, has agreed a new £50m, four-year asset based lending facility with Sigma Pharmaceuticals, one of the UK’s leading independent pharmaceutical wholesalers. Leumi ABL previously provided a three-year club facility to Sigma alongside ABN Amro.
Based in Watford, and trading since 1982, Sigma remains a family-owned business and is now managed by a senior leadership team which includes some of the second generation of the founding family. With roots borne in retail pharmacy, the business serves over 3,000 pharmacies, 1,000 hospitals, and 600 dispensing doctors throughout the UK. Sigma’s core products and services include generic drugs, branded medicines, and over the counter medicines, while it has also established new divisions to accommodate the ever-changing landscape of community pharmacy. In addition the Group has developed its own range of generic medicines through the acquisition and development of pharmaceutical product licences.
The new facility will be instrumental in supporting Sigma’s continued growth and future development.
The transaction reflects Leumi ABL’s relationship-driven approach and commitment to delivering effective asset based lending solutions that support business’ ambitions. By choosing to consolidate its facilities with Leumi ABL, Sigma benefited from a seamless process which was executed at speed, ensuring the leadership team could focus on delivering the business’ strategy.
Over the past two decades, Leumi ABL has established a reputation for structuring effective and obstacle free asset based lending solutions which enable its clients to achieve their objectives, whether that is refinancing, restructuring, supporting growth, or making an acquisition. The team has delivered a number of successful transactions this year, including leading on a £93m refinancing package for Evo Group, a provider of integrated and value-add fulfilment services, which enabled its CEO to lead a management buy-out of the company.
Bhavin Shah, Chief Financial Officer at Sigma, said: "This refinancing marks a significant milestone for the Sigma Pharmaceuticals group, positioning us for a new phase of strategic growth and expansion. We are confident that this new facility will provide the flexibility and capital needed to achieve our long-term goals. We extend our sincere gratitude to the team over at Leumi ABL for their continued support and partnership. This refinance deal is a testament to the strong relationship we have developed over the past three years and we look forward to continuing our collaboration."
Ryan Whitworth, Regional Sales Director at Leumi ABL said: “Our long-standing relationship with Sigma allowed us to truly understand their business and goals, so we were able to structure a bespoke facility specifically tailored to support the business’ growth ambitions and deliver it at pace. With its strong track record, scale, and established network of customers, Sigma is well positioned, and we look forward to continue working with the business’ experienced team as they embark on the next phase of its growth journey.”