As expected, Everex Systems Inc, based in Fremont, California, is to sell off its Esix Systems Unix operating systems arm – and the buyer is Minneapolis, Minnesota-based James River Group Inc. The deal should be completed this Friday, if approved by the bankruptcy courts. Everex filed for Chapter 11 protection on January 4 (CI No 2,088) after a projected loss of between $80m to $100m for 1992. James River plans to integrate technology from its ICE 10+ and ICE TCP personal computer-to-Unix communications applications with the Esix shrink-wrapped version of Unix System V.4. Ian Cummings, James River’s European sales director, says the company will aim the resulting operating system package at small businesses. The Esix product and company will continue to operate under the Esix name. The enhanced Esix product will be sold through new channels as well as existing Esix and James River distributors. Cummings described Esix’s worldwide distribution strategy as haphazard, and said that James River intends to increase its worldwide distribution, especially in Europe.
