DECEMBER 2018 Business 27
Matillion is a software company that
builds data integration products for the
cloud.
And they are on cloud nine after
taking home the Salford Business
School Turnover Under £5m award for
their high growth technology company.
They faced tough competition from
Volcanic UK, Pioneer Group and
Elucigene Diagnostics.
The winning firm was founded in
2011 by CEO Matthew Scullion and
chief technology officer Ed Thompson,
who are both from Manchester.
They started the business, which now
has offices in New York, Denver and
Seattle alongside COO Peter McCord.
And it grew thanks to venture
funding from Manchester-based YFM
Equity Partners and then Silicon Valley
investors Sapphire Ventures and Scale
Venture Partners.
Headquartered in Altrincham, they
create data integration tools designed
for use with a new generation of cloud
data warehouses.
As explained in their entry form ‘our
customers are tech-savvy, intelligence
and data-driven companies, that
appreciate speed, and are leveraging
the cloud for data warehousing.’
And they certainly have an
impressive client list, including the
likes of Siemans, ITV, Amazon.com,
Fox Networks and HSBC.
More than 91% of Matillion’s revenue
is export with the largest market being
the US, which is responsible for 64% of
revenue.
Looking at the numbers, last year
Matillion grew from $1.3m to $4.6m
run rate and doubled staff numbers
from 25 to 50.
Revenue is expected to come out as
£5.8m in 2018 and the trio are looking
to hire a further 30-40 more staff -
bringing the workforce close to 100 in
Manchester.
And with a vested interest inManchester they are working closely
with Manchester University and the
University of Salford to nurture future
tech talent in the region.
The winners told how Matillion were
important because ‘everything today
runs on data’. In their entry form they
wrote: “Data enables us to educate our
children, build architectural wonders,
feed the hungry, power the world, care
for the elderly and sick, travel the globe
and inspire the next generation to do
things beyond our dreams.”
On winning the award Ed Thompson,CTO said: “It is fantastic and I am
really proud of everything that we have
achieved over the last seven years.
“It is really great to run a company
that is headquartered in Altrincham
but taking on companies in the Silicon
Valley. We do have a presence in the
US but it will always be a Manchester
business.”
Asked who they would like to work
with next he added: “Anyone that has
a need for data is a potential client of
Matillion.”
Prof David Spicer, Dean of Salford
Business School, said: “Salford
Business School is delighted to support
SMEs through sponsorship of this
award. The four shortlisted companies
are all doing great work, they are an
inspiration to small businesses in the
northwest and we were impressed with
their award entries.
“It was difficult to select just one but
the eventual winner was Matillion, an
Altrincham-based software company
that builds data integration products
for the cloud.
“What particularly impressed the
judges was not just the sound, export-
led business model and track record of
growth they have built but the fact that
they have done this from a clear value-
driven approach and are committed
to maintaining this culture as they
continue to grow.”salford business school turnover under £5m: matillion
A pair of entrepreneurial brothers
have hit the big time after setting up in
business together.
CarFinance 247 is an online car
finance specialist which was founded
in 2006 by siblings Reg and Louis Rix.
The business is independently
owned, operating nationwide with
more than 450 staff.
And thanks to their innovative
approach they have ‘blown the
competition out of the water’ in the
market and won themselves the LDC
Mitchell Henry Prize.
In 2018 CarFinance 247 started to
lend directly to customers via its new
247 Money brand.
The business is growing at a faster
rate than the used car finance industry
and has become a key employer in the
North West.
Last year turnover grew by 60 per
cent and profit was up by 129 per cent.
The business also relocated its 450
strong workforce to Manchester’s
Universal Square, with an investment
figure of £2.5m for the fit out and
features.
Staff numbers have now peaked at
450 and with a number of exciting
new services and digital innovation inthe pipeline the firm is on course to
turnover £8m this year.
In the entry form they said: “We
are continually innovating to support
future growth, having laid strong
foundations for ongoing commercial
success with industry-first digital
technologies designed and built by our
50+ strong in-house technology team.”
This aspiration to continue growing
and the passion they showed to thejudges during the presentations put
them on top for the coveted final prize
of the night.
Co-founder Louis Rix said: “It is a
surprise to win this award because we
entered in another category so we had
no idea it was coming.
“Manchester is a great city to start a
business and me and my brother have
always thought that since day one of
setting up here. It is a real privilegeto work alongside so many great
businesses.
“We want to triple in size in terms of
the size of our lending and that is an
important part of our business going
forward.”
Jonathan Bell, head of LDC in the
North West, said: “It was a privilege
to celebrate the very best companies
and entrepreneurs from across Greater
Manchester at the MEN Business of
the Year Awards this year, and there is
certainly no shortage of ambition in
our region.
“Through our sponsorship of the
LDC Mitchell Henry prize we had the
pleasure of getting to know many of the
successful and innovative management
teams that call Manchester home, and
the one resounding take-out was the
strength and resilience of the business
community here.
“Competition was fierce and while
there were so many worthy winners on
the night, I’d like to congratulate the
team at CarFinance 247 once again on
their success.
“They’ve achieved substantial
growth and truly established
themselves as one of Manchester’s top
employers.”ldc mitchell henry prize: carfinance 247