Tandem Computers Inc’s Santa Clara, California-based local area network equipment supplier Ungermann Bass Inc has established a subsidiary in Spain where, according to managing director, Roger Bertmann, the information technology industry and the networks market in particular are set to expand very rapidly. Interviewed by Computerworld Espana, Bertmann says that deregulation of the Spanish economy has boosted demand for technology products, and Spain is now addressing its paucity of networks compared with the rest of Europe. In addition, analysts are suggesting that the network market in Spain will grow by 30% or 40% over the next few years. The company expects to achieve $1.8m turnover in the first 12 months of trading – a figure that it hopes will grow to $9m by the year 1994. Ungermann Bass plans to operate through third parties and systems integrators, and it is targeting the financial and manufacturing sectors. Also, government contracts are of particular interest and Ungermann Bass believes that the advent of a single market will make effective intra-government communications more necessary. The company’s first major contract is with the Banco Espanol de Credito, for which Ungermann Bass is to inter-network the bank’s several buildings.
