The annual Datamation list of the top 100 information technology suppliers for 1988 has just been released and, as expected, reveals a slowing down in the information technology market. Revenues of the top 100 firms rose just over 16% to $243,100m against a 19% rise in 1987; while profits were up 16%, a slowing from 27% last time. Europe still accounts for only 34% of the world market, with the fastest growing region being the Far East, 25% of the world market. Meanwhile, the US share of the world market fell 3% as the Japanese share grew by 32% to $54,000m. Geographically, the 100 remains unchanged with 61 US companies, 22 from Europe and 17 from Japan and the Far East. The top 10 names have remained the same as last year but positions have changed: IBM is still top of the tree, with DEC leading what, according to Datamation figures, constitute the also-rans. Fujitsu and NEC come in virtually neck and neck in third and fourth position (however, if Fujitsu’s chip business were included as IBM’s is, Fujitsu would be number two, well ahead of DEC). Fifth and sixth are Unisys and Hitachi, closely followed by Hewlett-Packard. The two Europeans, Siemens and Olivetti are eighth and ninth with NCR just squeezing past Groupe Bull to make it in at 10. These 10 control over half the world market for the supply of information technology. Going into sectors, Datamation found that US mainframers such as IBM, Control Data Corp (listed at 16), NCR and Unisys had disappointing sales while comparable Japanese companies saw revenues rise by 20%. Overall mainframe sales accounted for 12.5% of the total. Similarly DEC, Wang (17), Data General (42), Nokia (48) and Norsk Data (85) all found the mini market tough: it now accounts for 10% of the total. Software firms had a much easier ride with software sales up 22% to $21,000m enabling Oracle Corp to grow by 114% and make it in to the Datamation 100 for the first time at 90: it was the organically fastest growing firm in the top 100. Among computer services companies Electronic Data Systems Corp headed the list at 27 followed by a number of debuting companies including: SD-Scicon (95), Sema Group (94), American Express (86), Nynex Corp (88), and Science Applications International Corp (91). The micro market moved ahead of minis with 12% of overall sales with Compaq (24), Apple (12), Toshiba (13) and Zenith Electronics Corp (39) taking special credit, while Datamation 100 microcomputer newcomers included Atari Corp (98), AST Research Inc (83) and Acer Group (92). Peripherals had a topsy-turvy year with firms such as Micropolis Inc appearing among the Datamation 100 for the first time at 99 while simultaneously reporting a net loss; Eastman Kodak (100) made it back into the top 100 by the skin of its teeth having fallen off last year, while Anacomp Inc made it to 84 largely by virtue of its acquisition of the magnetic media part of Xidex Corp’s business – which it now plans to sell. Data communications did poorly, growing only 7% to $16,000m. Dropping out of the 100 were Datapoint Corp, Tandon Corp, Tektronix and Gould.
