High Tech U.K. Firm to Locate in Kanawha County
Photo By Jama Burton


Applied Computing & Engineering, a company specializing since 1987 in the development and marketing of computer software for simulating engineering design and manufacturing processes, announced they will be establishing a North American office in West Virginia. The company, based in the United Kingdom, will locate an office at the Chemical Alliance Zone Incubator at the South Charleston Dow Technology Park and begin to develop new clients in the U.S. market. Applied Computing currently works with such respected companies as Boeing, Rolls Royce, Nissan Motors, Daimler Chrysler, Jaguar Cars, and Airbus Industries.

"We are eager to open our West Virginia operation," said Dr Stewart Allinson, Managing Director of Applied Computing. Yash Khandhia, Technical Director for Applied Computing believes the Charleston operation will become significant in the first two years. "If our plans succeed, we will move a substantial portion of our software development operations to Charleston. In two years we anticipate that we may have up to ten graduate engineers working in software development and technical support."

Applied Computing has been working with Advantage Valley and Charleston Area Alliance for months on completing their move to the United States. "We are pleased Applied Computing will be locating in Charleston. They have chosen the right place when it comes to finding a wealth of brain power to further develop their business," said Bill Goode, President of the Charleston Alliance.

Charleston Area Alliance, Advantage Valley, Putnam County EDA, and the Huntington Area Development Corporation have been working together with a European consulting firm, U.K. Trade and Investment and the Business Link Warrington to assist companies such as Applied Computing in gaining knowledge about business opportunities in West Virginia. The groups believe this relationship may help augment the successes the West Virginia Development Office is experiencing. "It is exciting that our groups are partnered together, without regard to geographic boundaries, working toward a better economy for West Virginia," said Matthew Ballard, Executive Vice President of the Charleston Alliance.

"Applied Computing's move to West Virginia is great news for our region's high tech economy. They will be the first of what we hope will be a significant trend; technology-oriented firms taking advantage of the CAZ Incubator and the South Charleston Technology Park to grow their businesses in West Virginia. The environment in the Park, with its infrastructure, the presence of Dow, Bayer, EDS, CDI, Battelle, MATRIC and the involvement of the universities offers small technology-oriented firms an ideal environment to access expertise, resources and partnerships," said John Maher, Executive Director of the Chemical Alliance Zone

To find out more about Applied Computing, please visit their website at http://www.acel.co.uk/. The Charleston Alliance web page is located at http://www.charlestonareaalliance.org/, the Chemical Alliance Zone at http://www.cazwv.com/ and Advantage Valley at http://www.advantagevalley.com/.

In June or July of 2006, Dr. Allinson and Mr. Khandhia will be back in West Virginia. If you would like to meet the leaders of this new company or believe your company might be in need of their technology, please contact Matthew Ballard at the Charleston Area Alliance.