Cary software company plans new HQ

Cary software company Ultimus will cap a two-year global expansion with a new headquarters building.

Ultimus plans to break ground on the 16,500-square-foot building on Weston Parkway on Friday and plans to move early next year.

The construction project, which, including the land purchase, will cost about $3 million, will make the company more presentable to large customers from Latin America and Europe that visit frequently, said Rashid Khan, the company founder and chief executive.

Ultimus' 38 corporate employees are in leased space in three buildings. That leaves overseas customers, who tend to be more image-conscious than U.S. customers, with the wrong impression, Khan said.

"They're spending a lot of money with us," Khan said. "They want to see a stable company."

A headquarters building that provides space for up to 70 employees and is constructed on a site that leaves room for future expansions will better reflect Ultimus' intentions, he said.

"At a certain point, the image of a company becomes very important," Khan said. A headquarters "building represents the company."

The one-story, triangular building will be constructed of light gray concrete and lots of glass. "It looks like a spacecraft," Khan said.

In the past two years, Ultimus has greatly expanded the number of overseas offices, adding offices in Europe and establishing a presence in Japan, China and Taiwan. The company's overseas work force more than tripled to about 300. Worldwide, Ultimus now employs about 350.

The expansion spree was financed by a $10 million investment Ultimus raised in 2004 from Avent International of Boston, one of the world's largest private equity firms, according to Willis Lumpkin, the chief financial officer.

Ultimus' customers include Microsoft, the world's largest software company; Cary-based SAS Institute; automaker DaimlerChrysler and shipping company DHL. The company provides consulting services and sells software that helps businesses connect different databases, such as for accounting, sales and research. The software allows customers to automate business processes and improve communication.