A LEATHER repair business is set to expand after securing £400,000 of growth funding.

Ben Staerck was still in sixth form when he set up the Furniture Clinic with his father Keith in 2004. He took over as managing director when his father retired in 2012 and since then he has opened branches in New York and Hong Kong.

A £400,000 loan from FW Capital means Furniture Clinic is ready to recruit staff as it looks to grow both at home and abroad, increasing turnover from £2.4 million to more than £6 million in the next three years. Ten staff have already been recruited to bring its workforce up to 65 and at least 20 more jobs will be created.

The company develops and manufactures a range of cleaning, repair and restoration products used for furniture, clothing, handbags, car interiors, saddles and luggage.

Furniture Clinic outgrew its Team Valley home and moved to bigger premises at Burnopfield, County Durham, in 2010.

Mr Staerck, said: “We now have a range of more than 100 cleaning products for leather, suede and wood and we have invested in automating our manufacturing equipment and processes to the extent that we are currently bottling around 18,000 cleaning products a day.

“Our products are used by a range of corporate customers including Rolls Royce, Harvey Nichols, Radley, Barker and Stonehouse and DFS.

“We’re ready for the next phase of growth.”

Michael Vassallo, senior investment executive at FW Capital, said: “The company is already a huge success in a niche market and our loan will be instrumental in the company’s expansion over the next three years. We’ll be working with the management team to strengthen their position in the UK and international market places.”