Small firm in North West leads expansion into Europe

13 04 2006 United Kingdom

The founder of a hi-tech enterprise in Merseyside has sold his company and now spearheads its expansion into Italy and Scandinavia.

Gary Smith founded CPOS Systems nearly 20 years ago and developed his electronic point-of-sale solution for the hospitality industry in 1994. ‘Waiterpad’ is a hand-held device for restaurant staff to take customers’ orders and send the details electronically from the table to the kitchen and onto individual bills.

This product speeds up the ordering process, enables staff to spend more time with restaurant customers and delivers accurate bills every time.

The company is based in Liverpool and has grown to 16 staff, with a branch office that opened in Spain last year.

Mr Smith told the Liverpool Echo that he had been looking for financial backing to expand the business when he was approached last year by an Australian rival, PalmTEQ.

He has agreed to sell his shareholding for almost £1 million and will stay on at the company’s Liverpool office as director of the UK and European operations to direct the firm’s expansion into Europe. Six new jobs will be created as a result.

"We will be the European hub looking after the UK and all of Europe”, he said, “targeting Italy, Sweden and Norway next."