CSC shows global intentions with acquisition in India

The Leeds-based company, which has a £7.5m turnover, has acquired the structural software division of SoftTech, which is based in Pune, in the state of Maharashtra, for an undisclosed sum.

It said the move underlines its global expansion plans following the organic growth of the company into new continents including North America, Africa and Asia.

CSC now employs over 120 staff worldwide with overseas offices in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and the USA. It reported a 17 per cent increase in turnover for the year ending March 2011 – up from £6.4m the previous year.

The company said the acquisition will accelerate its entry into the burgeoning Indian market via SoftTech’s established STRUDS software product. CSC aims to enhance and market STRUDS in India in line with its own product range under the name CSC SoftTech.

CSC, which was founded 35 years ago, supplies both small independent and large corporate businesses with engineering calculation software, steel and concrete building design software and general analysis packages under its Tedds, Fastrak, Orion and S-Frame brands.

Mark Roberts, chief executive of CSC, said: “We have experienced significant global growth over the last three years and it is incredibly exciting that this is our first acquisition and will accelerate us into another strategically important market.

“India has a buoyant and growing economy with a landscape ripe for development and as such it offers an incredibly attractive expansion opportunity for us.”

He added: “SoftTech has a great reputation both with SMEs and within the public sector but our research has shown it is currently only servicing around 10 per cent of the available market.

“Using the global expertise we have developed to date we are confident there is significantly more we can bring to the table, including product enhancements and improved technical support facilities, as well as targeting larger corporates with our own existing product range.”

The structural division of SoftTech, which has operated since 1995, generated a 36 per cent increase in turnover for the last financial year from £341,000 to £465,000.

A 30-strong team of engineers and developers including the existing management team will transfer over to CSC as part of the deal.

CSC is headquartered in Pudsey where it employs 40 people.