Mannesmann Information Systems Ltd, the UK arm of the giant UKP5,200m Mannesmann AG heavy engineering group of West Germany, is set to launch a range of new systems based on Arix Corp computer systems at the end of this week. Mannesmann will be re-badging the Arix 800 under its own Series 9400 label, Arix revealed earlier this month (CI NO 945) before hastily withdrawing the statement – but too late to keep the lid on it. Shipments of the systems apparently began in April, and the conversion of software, such as Mannesmann’s specialist legal systems, to the new hardware is now in progress. Last year, the company announced its intentions to move to Unix-based systems once price-performance was comparable with its proprietary systems based on Texas Instruments processors (CI No 696). It is already in the Unix workstation market by virtue of its acquisition of PCS Cadmus GmbH of Munich, the company that honoured its home town by calling its Unix variant Munix. Mannesmann has an installed base of around 1,500 systems. Arix Corp, San Jose, valued the OEM agreement at UKP12m over three years.
