Advertising company promotes growth with funding boost

Career Café, a marketing and communications agency, has acquired Warwick-based advertising firm Adsfab after securing an invoice finance facility from Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance.

Now rebranded 360Adsfab, the enlarged business is based across three sites in Bishopsgate, Rochford and The University of Warwick Business Park and employs 18 people.

The company offers branding and marketing services including online and print adverts to customers predominantly in the education and recruitment sectors.

Career Café was established in 1998 and is run by husband and wife team Roger and Maureen Juniper, who have over 70 years collective experience in the advertising industry.

Mainly specialising in the recruitment sector, the Junipers found they needed to diversify their offering as the number of advertised jobs dropped during the economic downturn.

When the couple came across the opportunity to acquire Adsfab, which specialises in education advertising and communications, they found they needed a cash flow boost to support the deal and ensure the amalgamated business could begin operating straight away.

The couple approached their asset based finance provider, Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance which provided an invoice finance facility, this is drawn against issued invoices to free up capital. This allowed 360Adsfab to process orders as soon as the acquisition was finalised.

As a result, the firm is now in a strong position to capitalise on increased opportunities with an enlarged customer base and continue to grow turnover organically.

Maureen Juniper, financial director of 360Adsfab, said: “Diversifying our business offering by acquiring a new arm to our company has been key in maintaining our growth going forward.

“The funding from Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance ensured we could begin trading as soon as the buy-out was finalised, making the acquisition as seamless as possible for us and our customers.

“We are now in a strong position to continue to grow in 2011 and expand our market share.”

Ross Veale, regional manager at Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance, said: “When times are tough it is businesses with foresight that are best placed to survive. Maureen and Rodger have shown real business sense in acquiring a new firm to stay on top of the market.

“360Adsfab is in a strong position to grow its customer base, and its shop in Warwick University is ideally placed for its education advertising services.

“Invoice finance facilities are fitting for advertising firms as they bridge the gap between an advertisement running and the customer paying. The quick nature of the facility means companies can benefit from a boosted cash flow within 24 hours of issuing an invoice.”

Keith Hollands, client manager at Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance, added: “We worked closely with 360Adsfab to put together a funding facility which will support the firm throughout the acquisition and stimulate growth in 2011.”