Software firm Proaxiom expands Whanganui premises to accommodate growing staff

Proaxiom general manager Mike Price (left) and director Murray Woodhouse in one of the working spaces in their new premises.

Proaxiom, an international software solutions company based in Whanganui, has expanded into new premises to accommodate its growing team of staff.

The company's extended premises are in Wicksteed Tce, next to its previous office.

Proaxiom moved from Wellington to Whanganui in 2015 and has been steadily expanding, helping graduates get into the software industry.

In 2017 the company comprised director Murray Woodhouse, general manager Mike Price and three software developers and the company wanted to employ more graduates.

Eighteen months later Woodhouse and Price have 10 staff, including an operations manager, pre-production tester, project manager, two specialist client support staff and five software developers.

"We are excited about the quality of our graduate and non-graduate recruits, both local, national and international," Woodhouse said.

"Over the past four years, we have employed five staff locally plus one from Napier, two from Wellington, one from Auckland and one from Ireland via Australia.

"Predominately these are young graduates seeking to use their university learnings through work experience and they bring with them ideas, enthusiasm and above all a willingness to continue to learn."

Proaxiom will also employ three university students, two of whom are returning for a second year, over the 2018/19 university holidays.

"The business has continued to grow and develop," Price said.

"As well as clients in New Zealand, Proaxiom's clients are also in Australia, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom.

"We have a range of software orchestration solutions and while there is a slight focus on the banking and credit industry, our clients also include energy companies and medical practices.

"Our software solutions are agile and adaptable to client needs; this is no out of a box solution."

The decision to base the business in Whanganui was helped by the city being one of the first to roll out ultrafast fibre.

"It was a big bonus for a software company," Price said.

"I do a lot of travelling overseas and, at that time, there were air links to Wellington and Auckland. The Wellington link has gone now but that doesn't really matter. The Whanganui airport is really close so you don't lose a lot of time travelling to get on a flight. We're big supporters of Air Chathams."

Woodhouse said there was an ease to doing business in Whanganui.

"We enjoy the support of individual business to business relationships, local government support and the network provided by the Whanganui Chamber of Commerce," Woodhouse said.

"Whanganui is an ideal community to provide a great work/life balance for the company and our staff."

The company likes to get involved in the community, with Price previously mentoring students at the former Awa City Clubhouse and the company supporting GovHack events through participation and sponsorship.

Woodhouse and Price are keen to connect with other IT companies in Whanganui and to hear from anyone who may be interested in a career in the industry.