Expanding upon the Reading-based Sintrom Group Plc’s acquisition of the Micro Technology Group Ltd – the second since Terry Cave’s appointment some six months ago (CI No 920) – company chiefs argue that the move will provide the fast-growing group with its one missing element – a core system. Decoded, this evidently refers to Micro Technology’s value-added networking capabilities, and in particular to the company’s enhancement of the Bernoulli Box-based range of mass storage devices and networking products. Sintrom is particularly anxious to exploit the security features of Micro Technology’s range of plastic cartridge disk drives from Roy, Utah-based Iomega Corp, and believes they will be of particular interest – within the total networking solution that the company is now angling to provide – to large City of London customers – a cause that will no doubt be assisted by the Tunbridge Wells-based Micro Technology’s recent decision to open a new Docklands office (CI No 956). Equally, Sintrom anticipates that Micro Technology’s established reputation as an authorised IBM PC Dealer Site will relate a good deal of IBM business to the group – and also helps explains why the newly-acquired company will continue to operate under its existing name. Sintrom maintains that although the major part of the acquisition bill will be settled in shares, the company is cash rich, and that the temporary overdraft incurred by the recent Online acquisition, has now been elimianted. From Micro Technology, Sintrom is looking for turnover in the region of UKP4m to UKP4.5m within a year, and indicates that investment and expansion – both within Micro Technology and elsewhere was definitely on the agenda for the future.
