ServiceTec International Ltd seems to be gradually picking up the pieces of 5% shareholder Ferranti International Plc, which has just sold its Ferranti Metrology Systems Ltd and Ferranti Infographics Ltd activities to the Stevenage, Hertfordshire-based company. As reported (CI No 1,822), Ferranti is not currently profitable and is gradually shrinking as it sells off any activities that are not considered core, or that are pulling down the company’s financial achievements. Terms of the recent agreements between ServiceTec and Ferranti are not known. The former already owns Ferranti’s Computer Maintenance activities and the Electronic Support centre of Ferranti Computer Systems (CI No 1,325), which suggests that if no other buyer makes an offer, Ferranti simply palms off its unwanted operations onto its eager affiliate. Ferranti’s Metrology business will be merged into ServiceTec’s newly-formed ServiceTec Infographics division, which was presumably formed recently as a result of ServiceTec’s acquisition of Ferranti Infographics. Ferranti would not comment on the financial performance of the two businesses, both of which formed a part of the company’s Industrial Systems division.
