A retail software specialist helping thousands of companies trade electronically without the need for paper documentation is to expand operations at a thriving business hub in Portsmouth.
Transalis – Latin for moving from one place to another – has leased a second office at Portsmouth Technopole after relocating its sales force from London amid record growth.
With 3,000 supply chain clients, including household names such as Argos, Universal, Superdrug, Microsoft and EMI, the 17-strong firm has seen turnover rise by more than a third in the past 12 months alone.
Adam Swanson, Business Development Manager at Transalis, said: “Our markets show us there is much scope for continued growth; a leading UK retail report found that 81% of companies still use some form of manual, paper-based processes for their orders, invoices, credit and dispatch notes and sales and inventory reports.”
Transalis provides electronic data interchange (EDI) and developed its award-winning product OpenEDI™ as the ‘glue’ to enable companies of all sizes, regardless of IT deployed, to communicate electronically and seamlessly anywhere in the world.
Adam said: “Paper-based processes are a relic in the digital age, yet many firms are still unaware of the considerable benefits of EDI, which is easy to set up, faster, more accurate, eliminates paper and delivers cost savings on average of £14 per order.”
Latest clients to sign up to Transalis’ services are e-retailer The Hut Group and fellow Portsmouth Technopole occupier Bladez Toyz plc, which was founded by the radio-controlled toys entrepreneur Iain Morgan following a £100,000 investment win on TV’s Tycoon, the brainchild of millionaire businessman Peter Jones of Dragons Den fame.
The latest office deal means Portsmouth Technopole, located by the M275 gateway into Portsmouth and run by business and innovation centres specialist Oxford Innovation, now has an occupancy rate of 92%.
Stephen Brownlie, Senior Centre Manager, Portsmouth Technopole, said: “Transalis has been with us for seven years now and has repeatedly been able to benefit from flexing up on space to meet and anticipate customer demand without having to consider relocation and all the costs, upheaval and time that would involve.”
He added: “Transalis is another example of the thriving entrepreneurial community here – we look after the reception, mail and facilities, including networking events, so that occupiers such as Transalis are free to focus on what they do best.”
Adam added: “We’re grateful to Stephen and his team at Portsmouth Technopole for their incomparable support – it does make a difference.”
At 1,858 sq m (20,000 sq ft ) Portsmouth Technopole provides state-of-the-art offices and conference facilities for start-ups, early-stage firms and outsourced businesses in a supportive easy-in, easy-out environment, with all-inclusive packages and highly competitive prices.
Other occupiers includes software cloud specialists Support on the Spot, software development specialist AMT Data Technologies, skincare products internet trader Venkman Industries, Rocksteady Music School and BDH Accountants.
Portsmouth Technopole is one of a network of business and innovation centres managed by Oxford Innovation across the country.
Lease details for Transalis’s new office were not disclosed.
