A German company that moved to Austin in 1999 because of the city's abundance of barbecue and tech talent is increasing its presence in Central Texas.

Wincor Nixdorf, a developer of technology for banks and retailers, moved in August into larger headquarters, expanding its office space and call center. The company has moved quietly from a 57,000-square-foot facility near Round Rock into 76,000 square feet of space on Cross Park Road near Cameron Road and U.S. 183.

"We think we're one of the best-kept secrets in the U.S.," said Brad Waugh, president and CEO of Wincor Nixdorf USA, whose parent is based in Paderborn, Germany.

Wincor Nixdorf, whose bulk-check-deposit ATMs can accept up to 50 checks at once, plans to double its U.S. revenue and work force over the next five years.

Waugh said the company employs about 100 people in Austin, but he would not discuss future hiring.

"You have a very computer-savvy society here in Austin, and also the access to rib houses and brisket was very important to us," Waugh said. "We like to introduce it to our German colleagues who often have extended stays here or come back and forth from our (global) headquarters."

Wincor Nixdorf's local expansion comes as the company has experienced "a tremendous year of growth," said Chad Wagner, Wincor's director of marketing. The growth stems from management changes, including Waugh's arrival about a year ago, and a switch to using its own sales force instead of outside firms, Wagner said.

"We're looking forward to building on the momentum that has taken place over the last 12 to 18 months," Wagner said.

Less than 18 months ago, the company had a contract with only one top bank in the U.S. Now, nine of the nation's top 25 banks are using or are testing the bulk-check ATMs or other Wincor technology. Worldwide, Wincor counts 18 leading banks among its customers, company officials said.

Wincor Nixdorf opened its U.S. headquarters in Waltham, Mass., in 1976 and later moved to Silicon Valley in 1993. The company was founded in 1952 by Heinz Nixdorf. It became the fourth largest computer corporation in Europe before Siemens AG acquired it in 1990. In 1999, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. and GS (Goldman Sachs) Capital Partners III, L.P. acquired it from Siemens, spinning off a new company and calling it Wincor-Nixdorf to keep the heritage of its founder. The company went public in 2004 on the Frankfurt stock exchange.

Wincor Nixdorf

U.S. headquarters: Austin

Worldwide headquarters: Paderborn, Germany

Services: One of the top three suppliers of ATMs and cash registers and other retail technology systems to the banking and retail industries. It is the largest supplier of point-of-sale systems in Europe.

Manufacturing plants:In Germany, China and Singapore

2006 revenue:$2.5 billion

Employees: More than 8,000 workers globally, including 230 in the U.S.

snovak@statesman.com; 445-3856