Spider Systems Ltd, the Glasgow-based independent internetworking company has turned in pre-tax profits for the year to March 31 up 25.0% at UKP719,000 on turnover rising 22.3% to UKP21.1m. And according to Martin Ritchie, managing director, this was achieved in a period where many of Spider’s resources were focused on the development of a new product range, SpiderIntegrator. Since the April launch, orders for SpiderIntegrator, the new family of tariff-management routers to reduce wide area network transmission costs, have far outstripped supply. The family comprises Pico, offering up to three wide area interfaces for smaller offices, and Mezza, up to nine interfaces to connect to remote sites. Spider has three operating divisions. Spider Systems designs, manufactures and markets a range of internetworking products and communications servers; Spider Networks supplies network systems; and Spider Software licenses communications software OEM and to systems integrators. Ritchie says the company has no immediate plans to go public and definitely no intention of being acquired. However the Spider is adding high-end products to its Integrator family and looking to expand into Europe, particularly France and Germany, and this will require further investment. On the other hand most of Spider’s competitors are American and Ritchie feels there are advantages in staying an independent European company in the European market.
