Co. Louth

Business loans in Drogheda for limited companies

Business loans in Drogheda for limited companies on both the Louth and Meath sides of the Boyne, arranged with specialist non-bank lenders by phone and online.

Population: 44,135 (Drogheda town, the largest town in the State)
County: Co. Louth
Local Enterprise Office: LEO Louth
Our fee: €0 to you; The lender pays us commission

Quick eligibility check

See what your company could borrow

Step 1 of 3 · about 60 seconds

What do you need finance for?

About 60 seconds · no credit search · not recorded on the Central Credit Register

Prefer to talk? +353 1 536 9910

Population: 44,135 (Drogheda town, the largest town in the State)
County: Co. Louth
Local Enterprise Office: LEO Louth
Our fee: €0 to you; The lender pays us commission

Irish limited companies
Several lenders, one request
No fees for your company
No obligation

At a glance

Funding for Drogheda companies in three steps

1
Tell us what you need
Three taps: purpose, amount, business type. About 60 seconds, no credit search and not recorded on the Central Credit Register.
2
We match you to lenders
We check your profile against lender criteria and approach only those likely to consider it. One request, only to lenders likely to consider it.
3
Compare any offers
See the rate, fees, security and any personal guarantee side by side before you decide anything.

Start my 60-second check

Overview

Doing business in Drogheda

Drogheda is the largest town in the State, with 44,135 people at Census 2022, and companies seeking business loans in Drogheda sit on the M1 between Dublin and Belfast. Distribution, manufacturing, food and healthcare businesses here serve both cities, and many trade across the border every week. The town also straddles two counties.

Most of Drogheda is in Louth, but the southern environs fall under Meath County Council, which decides which Local Enterprise Office and council schemes apply to your premises. We don’t have a Drogheda office: Welcome Finance works with Drogheda companies on both sides of the Boyne by phone and online.

Lenders we work with

We are a broker, not a lender. Lender names and logos are trademarks of their owners and are shown with permission. Their inclusion does not mean the lender endorses Welcome Finance. Finance is subject to each lender’s own approval, which is not guaranteed.

Key industries in Drogheda

Manufacturing
Food and drink
Healthcare
Distribution and logistics on the M1
Port activity
Retail and services

Finance in Drogheda

Business finance for Drogheda companies

Popular finance for Drogheda businesses

What makes Drogheda’s economy different?

Drogheda grew to become the State’s largest town in Census 2022, ahead of Dundalk. It is a regional growth centre on the Dublin to Belfast economic corridor, and many residents commute south while local firms serve customers in both directions on the M1. Manufacturing, food and drink, healthcare and ICT services are all represented, alongside a busy retail centre.

Because the town is split between Louth and Meath, two county councils and two LEOs serve it. That matters when you apply for a grant or rates scheme, though not for a business loan from a private lender.

How busy is Drogheda Port?

The CSO recorded about 1.2 million tonnes of goods through Drogheda in 2025, making it one of the larger regional ports on the east coast and much busier than Dundalk. Importers, builders’ providers and agri businesses use it for bulk cargo, which ties up cash between the ship arriving and the customer paying.

Where do business loans in Drogheda usually go?

Distribution and haulage companies often need working capital to cover fuel and wages while customers pay on 30 to 60 days. Traders buying from Britain also deal with customs paperwork that can slow deliveries. For very small businesses, the Drogheda Nurture Fund offers a local alternative, explained below.

Brexit changed the paperwork more than the geography. Goods bought from Great Britain now need customs declarations, which can hold stock at the port and push back the date you can sell it. Companies dealing with those delays sometimes use stock or supplier-payment finance to keep shelves full while cash catches up.

Local support

Business support in Drogheda

Local Enterprise Office Louth

Based at the Town Hall in Dundalk, LEO Louth covers most of Drogheda, offering grants, mentoring and training for small businesses in the county.

Local Enterprise Office Meath

Based in Navan, LEO Meath supports businesses in the southern environs of Drogheda, which lie inside the Meath County Council area.

Drogheda Nurture Fund

Loans of up to €25,000 at 7% over three to five years for small businesses in a target area including Drogheda and East Meath, funded by both councils.

Louth Rates Waiver Scheme 2026

Louth County Council support for new businesses moving into town-centre premises in designated areas that have been vacant for at least 12 months.

Enterprise Ireland North East

Enterprise Ireland’s North East office in Finnabair Industrial Park, Dundalk works with Drogheda exporters in manufacturing and internationally traded services.

Microfinance Ireland

For Drogheda micro-businesses with under 10 staff: €2,000 to €50,000, with a 1% lower rate when you apply through LEO Louth or LEO Meath.

National schemes

State-backed supports

SBCI Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme

€25,000 to €3m over 7 to 10 years, open until 30 June 2029. Get an eligibility code from the SBCI, then apply directly to a participating lender.

About SBCI loans

Credit Review Service

Reviews refusals by AIB, Bank of Ireland or PTSB of €1,000 to €3m. Apply within 30 days of the bank’s final decision.

SEAI business energy grants

Grants towards solar PV and energy upgrades for businesses.

Estimate your monthly repayments

Loan amount

€5,000€2,000,000

Interest rate (annual)

0%40%

Term

3 mo10 yrs

How the annual rate is applied

Estimated monthly repayment

€3,179.97

Total interest: €14,479
Total repayable: €114,479
Equivalent APR (effective): 9.38%
Factor rate: 1.1448
Equivalent flat rate (per year): 4.83%

Check eligibility for this amount

Illustrative only. Actual rates, fees and terms depend on your circumstances and the lender. This is not an offer of finance.

How we work

Welcome Finance is a commercial finance broker, not a lender. We arrange finance for limited companies for business purposes only; this is not regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Finance is subject to status and the lender’s approval. This page is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. We are paid commission by the lender when finance completes. We do not charge your company a fee and never ask for payment upfront.

Business loans in Drogheda: FAQs

Is my Drogheda business covered by LEO Louth or LEO Meath?

Most of Drogheda is in Co. Louth, so Local Enterprise Office Louth, based at the Town Hall in Dundalk, is your office. The southern environs of the town lie within Meath County Council’s area, so companies based there deal with Local Enterprise Office Meath in Navan. If you are not sure which side of the boundary your premises are on, give the LEO your eircode.

What is the Drogheda Nurture Fund?

It is a local loan fund from the Drogheda Implementation Board, paid for by Louth and Meath County Councils through their LEOs and run by the Louth County Enterprise Fund. It offers loans of up to €25,000 at 7% a year, repaid over three to five years, to businesses in a target area that includes Drogheda and East Meath. Start with an expression of interest.

Is there rates relief for opening in a vacant Drogheda premises?

Louth County Council’s Rates Waiver Scheme 2026 is aimed at new businesses moving into town-centre premises in designated areas that have been vacant for at least 12 months. You need a lease of at least four years or proof of ownership, no money owed to the council, and to start trading within 90 days of approval. Applications run to 28 February 2027.

Does it matter for a loan if my company is on the Meath side of Drogheda?

Not for a business loan through Welcome Finance. Our panel lenders look at your company’s trading, bank statements and accounts, not which council collects your rates. The county line matters for public supports: LEO grants, Microfinance Ireland referrals and council rates schemes depend on whether your premises are in Louth or Meath.

Which Enterprise Ireland office serves Drogheda companies?

The North East office in Finnabair Industrial Park, Dundalk, further north on the M1. It works with manufacturing and internationally traded services companies that export or plan to. A Drogheda company too small for Enterprise Ireland should start with LEO Louth or LEO Meath, depending on which side of the town it is on.

Can a Drogheda importer fund cargo arriving through the port?

It may be able to. Supplier-payment and stock finance, where a lender pays your supplier and you repay over an agreed term, are among the products our panel can consider for trading limited companies. Drogheda Port handled about 1.2 million tonnes in 2025, much of it bulk goods, so stock tying up cash is a common issue.

Check in 60 seconds

Check your eligibility in 60 seconds

No credit search and nothing recorded on the Central Credit Register. No obligation.

No credit search, not recorded on the Central Credit Register
One request, several lenders: we’re a broker, not a lender
For limited companies registered in Ireland
No fees for your company: we’re paid commission by the lender