Factoring Case Studies
How factoring helps Cuckoo Ltd
Cuckoo Ltd are based in Harrogate, and are the UK and European distributors of Mary Meyer soft toys - toys suitable for children from birth upward. Mary Meyer Corp of the USA celebrates seventy years of supplying toys such as Flip Flops, Sweet Rascals and Huggins in 2003.
Much of Cuckoo's business relies on imports, therefore ordering can be chunky and spasmodic, putting a strain on cash flow. In 1992, they approached Alex Lawrie Factors (a division Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance) for a solution to this lumpy cash flow and were introduced to factoring.
Eleven years on, Cuckoo now enjoy a 75% advance against their invoices, with the balance made available when their customers pay their debts. With many of Cuckoo's customers across Europe Alex Lawrie Factors also help out with the credit management of the sales ledger.
Director, Tony Eves comments, "With adequate cash flow at our command we've been able to expand as appropriate."
EPC Services (UK) Ltd
EPC Services (UK) Ltd were in their second year of trading when they turned to Alex Lawrie Factors (a division of Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance) to provide funds to meet planned growth and to help increase working capital.
They found out about Alex Lawrie's services by enquiring online and our regional manager Jeff Greenfield subsequently visited them to structured a competitive and flexible deal.
EPC are hardware suppliers based in the Docklands area of London selling data and voice equipment. They now enjoy a prepayment of 90% against their unpaid sales invoices, which has allowed them to secure a major order from a new customer. Whilst already profitable they are looking to nearly double last year's sales to £700k.
Managing Director Paul Barber who has a great deal of experience in this industry and is now poised to take the business forward commented: "Without Alex Lawrie helping us facilitate large deals and assisting with cash flow the business would have suffered financially and commercially. Their approach to helping your business is flexible and honest. They made the process of factoring very smooth for the company with minimal change of procedures. I was especially impressed with the back office staff who understand your requirements and are more than happy to assist in any way they can.
I would highly recommend their services to any business who are having cash flow problems or need help to facilitate large or small deals."
