While its siblings are busy prospecting the East German market, Munich-based Computer 2000 GmbH has made a foray in another direction entirely, and has bought a 49% stake in Frontline Distribution Ltd, the Basingstoke, Hampshire-based MS-DOS, Apple and Unix hardware and software distribution company, with an option to take its stake to a majority and control. Computer 2000 is the largest personal computer and peripherals distributor in West Germany, and much of the cash for the acquisition is to be ploughed back into the UK company, which has ambitions to expand its inter ests in the personal computer and printer markets. Founded as First Software, it twice came close to the wire on a public flotation. Ingram Micro D and Metrologie International also took a look at Frontline. Com puter 2000 employs 343 and reported turnover of $155m last year. It has also got subsidiaries in Benelux, Spain, Austria and Switzerland, and it has ambitions to go pan-European.
