A study by the Spanish Association of Computer Companies, Sedisi, reports that computer companies operating in Spain increased their total volume of sales during 1988 by 22%, turning over $6,480m. The gross national market took $5,800m of that, while exports accounted for $740m. As in previous years, the financial sector led the demand for information technology, accounting for 27% of business, with construction and industry coming next, and government and commerce behind them. Hardware sales went up to $3,206m, thus holding a 63% share of the market, placing it above the services sector (including software engineering development) which composed 23% of the market. Actual software programs accounted for only 9% of the total turnover and did not increase as much as the other two sectors. In 1989 Sedisi forecasts that the market will grow by 26.4%, while employment will go up to 14%, with the main demand for both coming predictably from the Madrid and Catalonia regions. At the end of last year, the computer sector employed 33,089 people, 14% up on the year before, with a particular growth in personnel involved in training – Sedisi itself has 116 members. At the same time, a report from Intelligent Electronics SA of Paris claims that the Spanish microcomputer market doubled its turnover during 1988, continuing a trend that goes back to 1983. Last year, national microcomputer sales figures reached $900m and recorded 254,700 units sold. The report also shows that IBM continues to lead the market, but that one of Spain’s top companies, Investronica SA, won on growth figures, taking 8% by value and 13% by volume. Olivetti was second in turnover ranking, while Amstrad, predictably, was high on units sold. Although the report was based on data from the business personal computer market, it also stressed the progressive expansion in the home computing sector.
