Castles opens Melbourne hub to drive Pacific growth

Castles Technology has opened a new Pacific headquarters in Melbourne as it pursues growth in Australia, New Zealand and the wider region.

The payments terminal maker said the new office will act as its regional hub for the Pacific. The move follows rising demand in the region for Android-based payment systems.

The company said the decision reflects strong business growth in Australia and New Zealand. The region has seen rapid adoption of contactless and digital payments in recent years.

Regional hub

The Melbourne office will coordinate sales, technical support, partnerships and business development. The remit covers Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island markets.

The site includes a dedicated product experience area. The company plans to use this space to show its latest payment terminals to customers and partners.

Castles Technology said the office has room for further headcount growth. The business expects its regional presence to increase as demand for Android payment devices rises.

The Melbourne opening comes after a recent expansion in Mexico. The company is building out a network of regional hubs in key markets around the world.

Each hub brings Castles Technology closer to local customers and partners. The structure supports region-specific sales and service operations.

Australian payments focus

The company described Australia as a priority market. The country has a high rate of electronic payments penetration and widespread use of contactless terminals.

Castles Technology said this environment suits its Android payment hardware and software. It markets both Android and Linux-based devices to banks, acquirers, fintechs and merchants.

Jean Philippe Niedergang is Chief Commercial Officer and CEO for EMEA Pacific LATAM at Castles Technology. He said the new site is central to the firm's global strategy.

"Opening our Pacific headquarters in Melbourne represents an important milestone in our global expansion. Australia is one of the most advanced and fast moving payments markets in the world, and having a local hub allows us to support our customers with greater agility, innovation, and trust. This investment reinforces our long term commitment to the region and strengthens our ability to deliver secure, reliable, and future ready payment solutions," said Niedergang.

The Melbourne team will work with banks, payment acquirers, independent software vendors and merchants. It will also engage with fintechs that build services on top of point-of-sale devices.

Customer proximity

Castles Technology said a local presence improves response times for customers. It also allows closer collaboration on pilots, rollouts and support.

The office will act as a base for in-person demonstrations and training. It will also support integration work with local software providers and payment gateways.

Jay Whitmore is Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand at Castles Technology. He said the scale of recent regional growth justified a dedicated headquarters.

"Establishing a local headquarters allows us to support customers and partners more effectively across the Pacific. It gives us the ability to respond faster, collaborate more closely, and provide a dedicated space to showcase our technology. The growth we are seeing in Australia and New Zealand is significant, and this office will help us continue to meet the evolving needs of acquirers, fintechs, ISVs, and retailers," said Whitmore.

Global expansion

Castles Technology has operated in the global payments sector for more than 30 years. It sells terminals and related services into over 150 countries.

The group said it has deployed millions of payment devices worldwide. Its customers include banks, merchants, fintechs, acquirers, independent software vendors and payment service providers.

The business positions itself as a partner-led organisation. It emphasises values such as agility, trust, innovation, respect and teamwork in its commercial relationships.

Castles Technology offers Android and Linux devices that support in-store and mobile payment acceptance. The company said its hardware is designed for durability and secure transaction processing.

The firm is also investing in sustainability initiatives across its operations. It said it aims to reduce its environmental footprint as it grows in new markets.

The new Melbourne office marks another step in the company's Pacific expansion and will act as the central hub for its regional growth plans into 2025 and beyond.