A Fife software firm has opened a new office in Manchester following a successful year marked by an expanding customer base and a 42% growth in revenues.
Dunfermline-based Cooper Software which counts helicopter firm Bristow, international money printer De La Rue and broadcaster Sky amongst its customers said profits increased by 140% during the last year, thanks to an increased range of products and services and repeat custom.
The company, which employs around 30 people at its site on Pitreavie Court, said its performance had also been boosted by a doubling of its customer base, including particularly strong traction in the North West of England and the Midlands.
Cooper, established by managing director Frank Cooper in 2005, reckons it is Europe’s largest provider of technical and business process services designed to complement applications made by Swedish giant IFS. The firm provides tools which allow businesses to customise their computer systems to support their own operations and business needs.
“IFS is a business software system which large companies in the UK use, but the challenge is that the business system doesn’t always model for their operations all the time,” Mr Cooper said.
“What we do is produce services which work alongside the software to provide a much sleeker system.”
New systems have been developed to help quicken the turnaround of aircraft by Bristow, and to allow engineering firm Babcock to keep track of the pieces of new aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth which is under construction at Rosyth.
“We have worked with Bristow Helicopters to produce a simplified servicing system which means an aircraft can be turned around much faster,” he said.
“We’ve also developed a barcoding system for Babcock to help manage inventory as they move things up and down the quayside.”
Cooper, which has a turnover of around £1.4m, has also introduced a new business consultancy service for clients, building a team of eight advisers.
“It’s about educating clients and training them in terms of how they use their systems, business process improvement, and providing support for them,” Mr Cooper said.
“What we’ve achieved is through organic growth without any investment or bank loans, focused on software engineering and services control.”
The new base in Didsbury will house a team of consultants while also contributing to the provision of remote support for customers.
“After an extremely busy year and growing customer base in the North West and the Midlands, there was a clear need to open an additional office in England,” Mr Cooper said.
“Manchester was chosen due to its excellent transport network and geographic location, and will add room to house our growing consultancy team and client team.
“Our target is to have five or six staff working from Manchester in the coming months. Opening this office will enable us to deliver services and support to large-scale projects we have ongoing.”
The firm also hopes to establish another office on the south coast of England later this year.
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