Materials Testing Group, a UK firm specialising in the analysis of structural materials, has turned to Optimum Finance, part of eCapital, to secure more flexible funding as it continues to scale.
The business tests aggregate, asphalt and concrete to assess performance and safety, providing verification that materials are durable, compliant and suitable for use. Its work helps reduce safety risks, prevent costly rework and avoid structural failures.
Since the company was acquired in 2022, it has undergone a period of significant change and has built a reputation for operational rigour, precision and quick turnaround times.
However, management said maintaining this trajectory required a funding solution with more flexibility than traditional lending.
As a result, Materials Testing Group adopted a tailored invoice finance facility through Optimum Finance to release working capital tied up in invoices. The business has a relocation to larger premises planned for late November and has set ambitious expansion targets, making access to cash a central part of its strategy.
Neil Harvey, finance director at Materials Testing Group, said: “With Optimum, our growth is not restricted like it would be with typical overdrafts. Instead, we gain early access to cash as soon as we invoice, and that cash availability grows with us as our revenue increases.”
The facility has enabled the business to invest in new equipment, increase staffing and better manage supplier relationships. Management said it has also eased pressure on day-to-day cash flow by removing the need to chase payments to fund operations.
Managing director Callum Oxley said: “The ability to grow is directly linked to your access to working capital. You need cash to pay deposits on equipment, invest in training, and hire the right people. Without access to funding, you’re always on the back foot.”
Optimum Finance said invoice finance has become a core enabler of the company’s expansion. Anthony Persse, chief executive at Optimum Finance, said: “Materials Testing Group is a brilliant example of a business that’s essential to UK infrastructure.
“By unlocking working capital through invoice finance, we’re helping them grow on their own terms, with the confidence and flexibility they need to plan ahead and scale at pace. We’re proud to be a part of, and support their journey.”
