ACS to open new office as it grows headcount by a third

New Birmingham office on the cards for 2016

UK software firm Advanced Computer Software (ACS) is preparing to open a new office next year as it boosts its headcount by more than a third.

ACS, which claims to be the third-largest UK-based software provider, already has 15 UK offices and more than 2,000 staff, but is looking to boost that number to 3,000 in the coming months.

It opened a new base in in Ditton Park, near Heathrow Airport (pictured), in October and is planning to open a 45,000 sq ft facility in Birmingham city centre next March.

Gordon Wilson, who took over as the company's new CEO in September, said it forms part of Advanced's plans for rapid expansion.

"Advanced is a great company with ambitious growth plans to become a world-class business," he said. "Our investment in these new cutting-edge facilities is part of a major recruitment drive, which will see the business grow by a third. It is also part of our wider strategy to foster more collaborative working, while further driving expansion.

"Our new headquarters provide a fantastic working environment for our staff and are excellent facilities to showcase to our customers. These are exciting times for the business and our employees are energised by all the opportunities that are on the horizon."

Advanced was bought by private equity firm Vista Equity Partners in 2014, in a deal that valued it at around £725m.