According to insolvency practitioner trade body R3, creditors will move ahead with "more aggressive debt collection" as growth returns to the economy and assets rise in value.
The domestic market for secondhand equipment is already picking up, with pressXchange reporting a 15% rise in UK visitors, from 3,554 to 4,087, between February and March.
David Bunker, of Close Asset Finance, agreed that insolvencies were likely to rise; however, he argued that it was unlikely to be asset-based lenders that caused businesses to be wound up.
"Winding up petitions are generally issued by trade creditors and the finance houses are normally left to deal with the aftermath of failure," he said.
"What is more likely to kill businesses this year is the withdrawal of trade credit and banks' facilities being pared back or withdrawn. If there is growth as expected, then this requires working capital to fund the revenue expenditure gap."
Jamie Nelson, of Compass Business Finance, agreed that suppliers would likely tighten credit terms as the UK economy recovered due to the need to collect outstanding debts as quickly as possible to support their own growth.
"Suppliers will be flexible to a degree when the demand is low in order to keep business, but as growth returns and the orders increase they will have less reason to be flexible as they will no longer be fighting for a reduced pool of business."
According to digital printer Digital Printed Image (DPI), some suppliers have already started tightening up credit terms.
DPI managing director Robert Jupp said: "We struggled around six months ago and had agreed that we would pay one supplier in dribs and drabs – when we were paid, we paid them. Suddenly they are demanding seven-day payments and payment on demand. We are noticing little things like that."
This reduction in credit, coming at the same time as a growth in print orders, means that printers may find themselves under pressure, with cashflow unable to keep up with costs.
Nelson said: "This has already been seen this year. The majority of print businesses saw an upturn in demand during February and March, all available cash was used up and they immediately hit the buffers with their suppliers."
Meanwhile, the Independent Business Reviews, for companies owing more than £1m under the Time to Pay scheme, is expected to be expanded to companies that have deferred less than that amount, as HMRC looks to recoup some of the money it has lost over the course of the recession.
"HMRC is likely to be a lot stricter," said Bunker. "It is also the primary reason many firms try to pre-pack. The debt falls away and they get a new VAT number."
