In the late 1990s, Crimsonwing had moved a chunk of its business to Madras, but the superficial attraction of setting up a programming team in Asia was undermined by the difficulties in communicating with Indian staff over a long distance.

Then Crimsonwing opted to relocate the work to Malta. This move has seen exponential growth both in terms of staff and new business.

Farming work out to locations on the periphery of the EU has generated a new piece of business jargon, "near sourcing", and this is where the attractions of Malta lie. But Malta also boasts language and good communication, time and consistent quality, relatively low labour rates and a keen workforce.

Today, Crimsonwing's Malta solutions centre is proof that Malta as a near shoring location works. A young and dynamic headcount of 150 have provided a service to major UK and Dutch clients for the last eight years. Repeat business is not uncommon, and time and time again it is the human resources that are the focus of much praise. With excellent air connections, it is often easier for clients to visit Malta than to visit suppliers in their own country.

Malta may not be cheaper than places in Asia but a good infrastructure, a solid government, complete predictability, excellent communication and high staff retention rates has placed it firmly on the outsourcing map. This increase in manufacturing capability as well as the growth of call centre capability indicates more than 250 companies employing some 6,000 people and the scene is set for further growth.