Invoice Finance for Printing Companies
Commercial printing is a materials-heavy, job-by-job business. Paper, ink, substrates, and finishing materials must be ordered and paid for before production starts. The client pays 30-60 days after delivery. On a £20,000 print run where materials cost £12,000, you're carrying that outlay for 6-8 weeks. Invoice finance advances 80-85% of each completed job invoice within 24 hours of delivery.
Because printers invoice job by job, a facility that funds each delivered job fits the way the business already bills. More detail + scope
This page covers
Invoice finance for UK commercial printing companies, material costs, advance rates and client payment terms
Not covered here
Specific provider reviews (see /providers/), general invoice finance education (see /guides/), signage (see /industries/signage/)
Printing-Specific Nuances
Job-by-job invoicing. Unlike monthly retainer businesses, printers invoice per job. This means variable invoice sizes and frequencies. Factoring providers handle this fine - each invoice is assessed individually. Some months you might submit 5 invoices, others 20.
Material costs as percentage. Printing has high material costs relative to revenue, especially on large format, and lower on digital. Providers understand this and factor it into their assessment. The margins are tighter than some sectors, but job invoices backed by proof of delivery are usually straightforward for a provider to verify.
Seasonal peaks. Christmas catalogues, election materials, exhibition season, back-to-school - printing has strong seasonal patterns. Make sure your facility can handle peak months. Discuss seasonal capacity with your provider before you need it.
Agency clients. If you print for marketing/design agencies who then bill their end clients, the provider assesses the agency's credit - not the end client. Agencies with strong credit are excellent debtors for factoring.
Founder & Managing Director, Muswell Rose, founder and PSC of Best Business Loans Ltd
Adam is the founder and managing director of Muswell Rose and a founder of Best Business Loans Ltd, the company behind Market Invoice. He spent over three years as managing director of Penny, a UK invoice finance business, and his career runs through insurance, mortgages, commercial finance and fintech lending. He writes the Market Invoice library.
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