Computer Application Services Limited

Overview

Computer Application Services (CAS) is a software company based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Currently 22 strong, with plans to increase to 30 in the next two to three years. The team develops, sells and supports Workpro case management software. CAS also supports two niche services to the Ministry of Defence; noise monitoring on a number of Army training ranges and managing training activities at RAF Spadeadam.

Until the team moved to employee ownership in 2014, case management clients were exclusively members of the UK Ombudsman community managing housing, local government and legal complaints. Investment to develop Workpro as a product has resulted in applications for employee relations casework and regulated financial complaints, both new markets for CAS.

New government and corporate clients are added to the UK client base almost monthly with recent wins extending overseas to Brussels, Cayman Islands, Toronto and potentially Arizona where a new nuclear regulations application will be piloted. Building CAS via a new recurring revenue model promotes sustainability of the business which in turn enhances value as well as job security.

The Story Behind the Company

The growth of PCs required people who understood how to make them produce duty rosters, control machinery, store records and so on. Originally a technology transfer unit from Edinburgh’s Heriot Watt University (circa 1969), Computer Application Services were offered by CAS to meet these new demands. Reportedly Scotland’s first software house, CAS became a valuable revenue stream for the University until its move to become a business.

The business was bought out by managers in 1987, the University retaining 15%. For 25 years, despite remaining small, it was a good corporate citizen, paying its way, making profits, returning dividends. Etc.