ABS Computers Ltd of Brighton says it has now completed the acquisition of accounting software specialists Shortlands Computing Services Ltd, Maidenhead, Berkshire (CI No 1071). Shortlands, which recently spent UKP750,000 on the development of its latest multi-currency accounting system, Imperial Gold, said that the ABS offer was the best of several apporaches over the last year: no price was revealed, but ABS is thought to have paid around UKP1m for the company. ABS managing director John Elsden said that Shortlands would retain its own identity, and gradually take over software development and support for the ABS Group, which is a master distributor for Zilog Systems, Pyramid Technology and Prime Computer hardware in the UK: no redundancies are expected. Elsden saw the move as proof that its parent, the giant shipping, property and construction company Trafalgar House Plc, which this week revealed a 40% increase in pre-tax profits to UKP229.1m to September 30, was now committed to expanding its interests in computing services through ABS. The company is unable to report separate figures from Trafalgar, but says the addition of Shortlands will increase its size by a half.
