HanAra Software, a subsidiary of South Korean-based BNF Technology, has selected Austin as its North American headquarters and plans to triple in size.

The company, which provides data management and predictive analytics solutions for plant management, has six employees in 1,000 square feet at 3410 Far West Blvd. They are hiring and plan to add three to four new people this year, according to a spokeswoman.

HanAra initially launched its technology in the United States through a program with IC2 Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. It landed its first client, Carl J. Eckhardt Complex at UT, through the institute.

BNF launched HanAra in late 2016 to support the relationship with UT and to explore other opportunities in the U.S.

“Through our relationship with the Carl J. Eckhardt Complex management team, we have had the opportunity to explore the North American market, and better understand the challenges faced by process plants throughout the region,” Hojoon Seo, CEO and President of BNF Technology, said in a news release. “We discovered that our expertise and technology provide an innovative alternative to what is currently in the market.”

HanAra chose Austin for the strength of its technology and business community and Texas’ strong energy industry, according to Seo.

“Austin provides lots of opportunities for our growth,” Seo said.

Austin has a growing base of South Korean technology companies including KoMiCo, NCSOFT, Samsung, Neosem Technology and SK Hynix, according to the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. Both KoMiCo and SK Hynix also have U.S. headquarters in Austin.