Intel distributor Metrologie SA, headquartered in Paris, is expected to reveal today that it is the mystery French buyer of Maidenhead-based Unix software house Sphinx Ltd (CI No 1,128), but no-one was available at Sphinx and Metrologie refused to comment on Friday. Metrologie, which until recently was 17% owned by the British quoted components distributor […]
Intel distributor Metrologie SA, headquartered in Paris, is expected to reveal today that it is the mystery French buyer of Maidenhead-based Unix software house Sphinx Ltd (CI No 1,128), but no-one was available at Sphinx and Metrologie refused to comment on Friday. Metrologie, which until recently was 17% owned by the British quoted components distributor Unitech Plc (CI No 278) which claimed its stake when Metrologie was known for distributing Intel chips, Oki peripherals, and TeleVideo terminals and micros. Metrologie, whose shares are quoted on the Second Marche (the French equivalent of the Unlisted Securities Market), pushed into the Unix market in July 1986 when it formed Top-Log SA as a 60% subsidiary to adapt, market and support Unix and DEC VAX/VMS software in France (CI No 477). The subsidiary began with products such as Informix, the integrated Uniplex II Plus Unix applications suite from Uniplex Ltd, nee Redwood International, 20/20 colour spreadsheet from Access Technology and the Tango terminal emulation program from Cosi. To this impressive portfolio was added both Parallel Computers’ and Tolerant Systems Inc’s fault tolerant Unix machines (CI No 576). Products like the Tolerant Eternity Series of NS32000-based multiprocessors enabled Metrologie to strengthen its presence in the transaction processing and data communications sectors of the French banking and manufacturing markets. The company began implementing plans to expand its base internationally in 1988 when it acquired 20% of London-based microcomputer distributor Trinitec Plc (CI No 856). These imperial plans really took off, however, at the beginning of this year when Metrologie’s former partner Unitech sold it the big Rapid Recall group (comprising its Celdis Italiana SpA subsidiary in Italy and its Nye Enatechnik GmbH in Germany) for UKP45m (CI No 1,090). As part of the deal Unitech sold its stake in Metrologie for UKP10m to French shareholders. Against this background of growth and expansion in the Unix market, Sphinx looks to be an appropriate acquisition for Metrologie.
