Oct 24 2009: Anniversary celebration and expansion for WANdisco
WANDISCO, the California software company that based its European operation in Sheffield, is celebrating its first anniversary in the city with the announcement of a major expansion.
One of the world’s leading providers of distributed software development solutions, WANdisco relocated 12 months ago from London to Sheffield, the home town of CEO David Richards.
It currently has 900 square feet of office space in Electric Works in Sheffield city centre.
But November will see the company move into a prime 4,500 square foot space in Electric Works as the next stage of expansion for the company gets under way.
Ross Bray, WANdisco’s Senior Director of European Operations, explained that the original intention had been to split operations between South Yorkshire and India but the move to Sheffield had been such a great success that Sheffield would now be the sole focus for development.
“We currently have a team of 11 in Sheffield and by the end of November that will have risen to 20 – but that’s just the start,” Ross said. “By the end of 2010 we are aiming to have a team of at least 50.
“We had originally intended to have only 15 people in our Sheffield base by the end of next year but at the same time we would have been using India for development and quality assistance work.
“It was only when we arrived here, though, that we began to realise that Sheffield had everything we needed.
“Being based here we have easy access to Leeds, Nottingham, Manchester and all the major conurbations of the north as well as to the rest of the country.
“And with 14,000 graduates every year from Sheffield alone we have a huge pool of talent as well as experienced resources we can tap into.”
He added that potential employees were increasingly attracted to the idea of a move to South Yorkshire.
“It’s easier and more cost effective for everybody,” he said. “The cost of living in the north is still very reasonable compared to the south.
“If we had made our headquarters in London rather than Sheffield there is no way we would have been doing what we are doing now.
“Electric Works is designed to encourage and attract people working in the digital industries and we feel our expansion within the building demonstrates just how successful it can be.”
www.wandisco.com
