Liberty Commercial Finance, an independent equipment lease and finance company, announced it has received a significant minority investment from Copley Equity Partners, a private investment firm focused on providing capital and resources to middle market companies with strong growth opportunities. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The investment by Copley, in conjunction with a new senior credit facility, will allow Liberty to significantly add to its direct funding capabilities while continuing to be a leader in syndicated originations.
 
“The partnership with Copley is truly transformative for the business and we are thrilled to have them on board”, said Eric Freeman, founder and President of Liberty Commercial Finance. “Their transactional experience from their ownership in their micro-ticket leasing business combined with our team’s mid and large ticket experience will allow us to build on Liberty’s early success and take the company to the next level. Also, to get the deal done during COVID is an incredible testament to both Copley’s long-term commitment to building a best in class finco and to what the Liberty family has built over the last 3+ years.”

Andy Miller, a Managing Director and Co-Founder of Copley who will join Liberty’s Board of Directors, said, “Liberty is an exceptional company that has become a leader in the equipment lease and finance industry over the past three years. We look forward to working closely with Eric and the rest of the Liberty management team as they continue to expand their direct funding capabilities and position the company for rapid growth.”

Liberty Commercial Financial has funded over $600 million of originations since inception in 2017 and in 2019 ranked No. 5 of independent lease companies.