Dutch parent announces £2.3m investment for Manchester operation
Dutch-owned software provider TOPdesk has announced a further potential £2.3m investment into its Manchester operations today.
TOPdesk creates service management software and is based in Delft, the Netherlands.
It has been in Manchester since 2014 and today has announced a substantial expansion in the city.
Its new hub was unveiled at premium business location, City Tower, building on its initial investment in the city centre over the past five years.
The business’s expansion in the Manchester area was supported by the Department for International Trade (DIT) in partnership with the region’s inward investment agency MIDAS.
The expansion in the city represents plans to solidify the Manchester office as its UK growth hub in tandem with its London office.
The larger site will allow the company to meet its growing client list in the area and take advantage of Manchester’s competitive operating costs, skilled graduate population and community of tech innovation professionals.
The new office replaces previous premises in Barclay House, providing a larger space with the potential to create around 40 jobs, adding to the 750+ people currently employed across 10 countries.
Graham Stuart, Minister for Investment, said: “TOPdesk’s new expansion in Manchester is a further sign of the city’s growing tech talent. Increasingly the world’s biggest tech names are looking to the North of England to invest and are solidifying the UK’s position as undisputed tech leader in Europe.
“Our tech sector earned £6.3bn in venture capital investment in 2018, contributing to our position as the top destination for FDI (foreign direct investment) flow in the world.”
David Cape-Brown, branch manager and head of recruitment at TOPdesk UK, said: “Our TOPdesk adventure in Manchester has been hugely rewarding so far and location has been a key ingredient of the continued growth of our customer base here in the UK.
“Our Northern hub has amplified our powerhouse status within the software industry and facilitated the positive impact of TOPdesk events such as SEE and TOPdesk on Tour.”
Tim Newns, chief executive of MIDAS added: “Since helping TOPdesk establish operations in Manchester in 2014, we have continued to work closely with the team to embed them within the city region’s diverse cluster of innovative tech companies and establish a reputation as a leading, Northern software firm.
“As well as being responsible for attracting new business investment to Greater Manchester, MIDAS also helps existing companies grow within the region and TOPdesk is a shining example of how we can help international firms tap into Greater Manchester’s academic and professional resources, as well as the city’s deep talent pool, in order to thrive here.”
The expansion follows similar tech-focused foreign investments in Manchester, such as Estonian company Fractory choosing the city as its first international office.
Manchester is also home to five unicorn tech start-ups, companies which are valued at £1bn, including Boohoo and Onthebeach.com.
