A FAST-growing international IT company today formally launched a permanent northern outpost in York - and immediately began recruiting for an extra 22 staff over the next two months

The Sussex-based DAT Group, which a year ago set up a temporary mobile solutions base in short-term tenancy offices in Clifton Moor with expertise salvaged from a failed York firm, today announced that it is here to stay - and has signed the lease for the entire second floor suite of offices in Stonebow House in the city centre.

It already employs seven people - four of them University of York graduates - and the rest of the 22 should quickly follow.

The company provides mobile solutions to big names in the travel industry and in the financial services sector using the Pocket PC and the Personal Digital Assistant.

Major international companies such as Orange, Compaq, Casio and Siemens have been referred to DAT by Microsoft.

The announcement was described by Dave Taylor, marketing manager of York Inward Investment Board, as a triumph for their listening post - where a company can set up a trial office in York to see if it is the right place for them.

"Clearly that's worked for DAT and we have a well-connected mobile solutions company making their home here as a result," he said.

The choice of York arose from the collapse in January last year of Winlinx UK, based in Lawrence Street, a firm which was pioneering the development of mobile solutions for pocket PCs. Its co-founder, David Pratt, went for an interview with DAT, and it became clear that the knowledge and teamwork which he and his old colleagues, David Lee and Matthew Calamatta, had could be put to good use by making them the core of a northern arm for the organisation.

After discussions with the York Inward Investment Board, the men were found temporary offices in Tower Court, Clifton Moor.

They were joined shortly afterwards by DAT project manager Andrew Farrell, who now claims: "We've since been recognised as the busiest office in the group."

The firm's latest tested project is designed for a high street bank to enable customers to make payments, perform share transfers and deal in shares on-line while on the move.

Mr Pratt said: "Mobility is our thing. We aim to provide people with information where they need it when they want it. We're already looking ahead to the fourth generation mobile phones because we build solutions which can step-up or step-down, depending on the strength of people's mobile phone connection.

"It can be used now, yet will automatically upgrade as people upgrade their phones."

The confirmation of York as DAT's permanent northern base has delighted Anna Rooke, project manager of Science City York. She said: "Given the recent shake-out in the mobile phone sector, DAT's positioning in this market is to be congratulated.

"We are delighted that their trial phase in York has been so successful. DAT is a welcome addition to York's fast-growing eScience community."