Laser-Scan Holdings Plc’s UKP113,000 pre-tax profit is unlikely to be matched next year, according to financial director Roger Winter, thanks to the company’s decision to pull out of hardware manufacture this February. He added that the cost of this decision might climb as high as UKP391,000, but would not comment on whether this would mean a 1994 loss. Instead, he said, the company is focussing its efforts on its Geographical Information Systems software, developing Unix versions, which it hopes will increase market share compared with the existing VAX/VMS versions. However, Winter warned that trading conditions continue to be difficult, and said no significant profit growth was expected in the near term – although after next year things should improve, he said. The 1993 drop in turnover was down to the $7m contract with INEGI, the Mexican institute for statistics, as most delivery took place in 1992. As for the future, Winter said it will continue updating and enhancing its existing Geographic software; no new products are planned.
