AN INTERNATIONAL digital marketing group headquartered in York has secured funding to the sum of half a million pounds as it seeks to expand into new markets.

Webcertain Group, based at Northminster Business Park, has received £500,000 in funding from Bibby Financial Services.

Established in 1997, the business has grown rapidly over the last two decades, opening an office in Barcelona and developing regional teams in a number of European markets as well as North America.

The business grew its revenue by 15 per cent in 2017 to £10 million and its primary focus this year is consolidating this growth and broadening its geographic reach with the return on that investment coming in 2019.

In the past, the business has relied on self-funding, but as the business continues to expand and grow in international markets, it needed a more flexible growth-enabled funding solution.

Working with Bibby Financial Services, the business was able to agree a new £500,000 funding line giving it greater capacity for expansion taking account of the longer lead times and payment terms which are characteristic of this sector of the economy.

Webcertain finance director Philip Hopkinson said: “Our competition is global agencies who provide a global service but not the speed or cost-effectiveness of Webcertain - but what the global agencies do have is deep pockets.

“Bibby Financial Services is helping us to level out the playing field and gives us more scope to expand and grow competitively. As this is non-equity funding, it also preserves value for the owners into the future.”

Webcertain Group provides SEO, online advertising, content marketing, social media and translation solutions to businesses to help them reach new markets quickly and cost-effectively.

Across its network, Webcertain provides solutions to brands that undertake international campaigns, with an ability to deliver services in more than 44 languages.

David McIntyre, corporate manager, at Bibby Financial Services said: “With a far-reaching client base, across different markets, it was important that we understood Webcertain’s business, including their exports and billing processes. Our experience of dealing with an international client base was crucial to providing the right funding facility.”