Last summer, Allocate Software (LON:ALL) won a contract with the government of New South Wales in Australia to supply its staffing management software across the state’s entire public health system. It was a deal that Ian Bowles, Allocate’s chief executive, believes is still one of the largest e-rostering healthcare projects in the world, covering 90,000 staff. A year on, Bowles and his management team have just expanded their presence in the Australian market with the acquisition of RosterOn, a rostering software specialist that fits neatly into Allocate’s growth strategy. The move brings with it new technology, a portfolio of clients and the chance to explore servicing new sectors, notably the country’s burgeoning mining industry. It also complements Allocate’s existing presence in Australia, where it counts the Army, Navy and construction giant Leighton Contractors among its top clients.

Allocate’s workforce optimisation and corporate governance software helps organisations make sure that they have got the right staff in the right place at any given time. It is a system that has found particular favour in healthcare markets, particularly among NHS Trusts, as well as in defence, maritime and a growing number of commercial clients. The company’s London-listed software peers include Parity (LON:PTY), Micro Focus (LON:MCRO), FFastfill (LON:FFA), SDL (LON:SDL) and Kofax (LON:KFX).

Last year, Allocate’s Healthcare and Defence divisions put in a financial performance that more than made up for a muted 12 months in Maritime. That overall pattern look likely to be repeated when Allocate reports its full year results to May 31 in September. And despite Government-led changes to the way the NHS operates, Allocate has continued to notch up new contracts – with no let up in activity into the new financial year. For Bowles, the £2.0 million purchase of RosterOn comes at a time when Allocate is poised to release a re-engineered suite of applications that has been two and a half years in development. That move, which will introduce new language options (other than English) for the first time, means Allocate will be able to look closer at expanding into new geographies.

Ian, what is you overall sense about how Allocate performed last…

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