Framingham, Massachusetts-based International Data Corp’s European Unix Expertise Centre in Copenhagen, Denmark, has released figures that suggest that Spain and Germany were the fastest-growing markets for Unix systems sales in 1991. Even the recession-hit UK managed two points more than the 15% average European revenue growth rate last year. Spain managed 35%, Germany 24%, Belgium 19%, the UK 17%, Italy 11%, Netherlands 7% and France 6% with Sweden flat at 0%. The recession, not only affecting the UK of course, has hit it hardware sales generally, but it hasn’t had a significant impact on the Unix market, because, IDC believes, in times of a depressed economy and slow investments, information technology purchases tend to move to less expensive, low-end systems, which might mean Unix systems. Small scale multi-user systems running Unix was the UK’s major growth area last year – ICL Plc and IBM UK Ltd significantly increased their market shares. Spain’s 35% growth has been fuelled by its catching up from a low base, and government investment policies, especially in the workstation arena. Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme AG’s share of the German market fell, with Sun Microsystems Inc, IBM and Unisys Corp all riding a wave. Belgium’s above average growth rate is explained by heavy investment from European Community bodies in Unix systems, says IDC. As a result, one of its primary suppliers, Ing C Olivetti & Co SpA shipped a large number of multi-user systems there. 1991 saw total Unix systems revenue in Europe climb to $6,900m from $6,000m in 1990. 1991’s growth of 15% is two points up on 1990’s 13% – IDC predicts a mean compound annual growth rate of 14% for the next six years, by which time it believes that the European market will be worth some $16,300m. It expects 1992’s growth to decline one point on 1991, forecasts 20% for 1993-95, with 10% for the two years after that. Contrary to Unix-on-the-desktop sceptics, the fastest growing sector will be the Unix on personal computers marketplace, it contends, with a revenue growth rate of 28% over the period. IDC’s figure suggest a compound unit growth of 36% for that sector, with the average cost of desktip Unix systems dropping from $6,000 in 1991 to $3,800 by 1997. The Unix workstation market is expected to slow – with growth of 18% in value, 26% in units. The average cost of a box will drop to $10,500 in 1997 from the $18,500 average recorded last year. Sales and unit growth of the small scale multi-user systems market is forecast at 6% over the period, with average cost falling from $38,000 to $36,400 in 1997. Value of medium scale multi-user systems will reach 10% growth – 7% in units – with average cost rising from $216,300 to $268,000. Unix growth in Germany and Spain will remain above average throughout the period, the researcher forecasts, with the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Finland below the mark.
