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This is an asset based lending environment. Some options you may have:

Factor your receivables - you can either receive funds for current accounts receivables or get a line of credit based on current and future receivables.

Business Cash Advances. Do you take credit cards as a form of payment? You could get an advance (not a loan) based on FUTURE credit card payments.

Equipment loan/leases: If you need new equipment, you can get a loan or lease based on that equipment. You can also sell your current equipment to a leasing company - than lease it back. Not only will you receive some tax benefits - but get the money you need to expand.

There is purchase order financing where you could get funding for a purchase order you have from a creditworthy customer. These companies will either pay you or pay your suppliers.

All the above is based on business assets. There are also unsecured funding but you MUST have excellent credit, good income to repay, and low debt loads.

Just some thoughts

Business Money Today

www.businessmoneytoday.com

It seems (to me) like most private investors are a little too impatient for manufacturing (unless it's high-tech or a promising "green" product), so I'd probably not focus on that.

Are you the sole source provider of a product that your clients/customers require, and/or do you hold the patent for any of the processes you utilize? Would your expanded capacity (and the related economies of scale) allow a particular client/customer to significantly increase its business or operation? Is your process management ISO9001-compliant right now in your view (i.e., is the money you're seeking just to fund the site audit and certification process)?

Large producers of industrial products with major contracts are sometimes on the lookout for well-managed small shops that can reliably supply them with manufactured components, and will invest in the small firm's expansion (injecting capital, buying and leasing back equipment, etc.) to ensure the long term availability of a key component at a predictable price (and to create a additional revenue stream). For example, a small firm that produces high impact molded cases for control boxes received expansion capital from a security systems manufacturer that it supplied after that systems manufacturer won a contract to have its equipment installed in airports. It had to increase its own output to fulfill the contract (and therefore the output of its key suppliers, as well) -- and in that instance, it made economic sense to help the small firm that made their molded cases expand its production capacity. Perhaps there's a similar link between one of your existing or new/prospective customers and something you produce.

If your expansion includes new jobs, you'll also want to check with your state and local economic/business development groups, and your elected city/state representatives. There may be local loan guarantees, grants, or other programs -- especially as new "economic recovery" initiatives are rolled-out, that are designed to target established small firms that would hire more people if they could fund the facilities or equipment for growth. Even if there's nothing right now, explain your situation to them so if/when something appears in a few weeks, you're on their radar.

Good luck.