A Norwich-based software company has beaten one of its major rivals and increased its global footprint by securing a licensing deal with Japanese energy company Chiyoda Corporation.

Falcon Global has sold a licence to the Yokohama-based oil and gas firm so it can use its Zenator Systems project management software on a petrochemical project in Sarawak Malaysia, as well as on a second unnamed project – believed to be at a liquefied natural gas plant in Australia.

It has led the firm to forecast a rise in turnover from £1.9m to between £5m and £6m this year, as it looks to add two new staff to its four-strong team based at its office on St Crispins Road.

The licensing deal comes after the Japanese firm spent the last 10 years using a software system provided by Falcon-global competitor Complan.

Alan Mills, managing director, said the deal adds to the company's global portfolio, which includes offices in Belfast, Houston USA, Rio De Janeiro Brazil and Perth Australia.

He said: 'Securing business with Chiyoda is of huge strategic significance and a major coup for us, especially as they have been users of a software product from our largest competitor for the past 10 years.'

He added: 'It has been a very difficult 2009/10 and we did not lose a single person, which is a big achievement.

'We are looking to take on one or two more people this year that can be based in Norwich.'