Trafalgar House Plc’s UK Unix dealer ABS Computers Ltd of Brighton is currently holding talks with accounting software specialists Shortlands Computing Services Ltd, Maidenhead, Berkshire with a view to the negotiation its acquisition. Shortlands employs 55 people and had a turnover last year of UKP1.7m. It sells its Imperial Gold financial management software in over 100 countries, and has specialised in installations that require multi-company, multi-currency facilities: most recently the company won its largest ever distribution agreement from Australia’s largest independent computer company, Computer Power Pty Ltd, which is 30% owned by the Rupert Murdoch empire. Computer Power, which recently acquired the Today fourth generation language technology from troubled BBJ Computers Pty, will have exclusive distribution rights to the product in Australia, worth an initial $2.5m, and $2.5m later. In the UK, Shortlands sells on systems using Unix-based hardware from ABS; completion of a deal is expected any day now.
