Unix System Laboratories Inc and Steria SA, France’s 15th largest software and systems integration company, have now announced their joint venture to establish Unix System Technologies SA, which will provide products and services tied to Unix Labs technologies. Michael De Fazio, Unix Labs’s executive vice-president, said the French subsidiary is the first of what will be a number of Unix System Technologies throughout the world. By this time next year, we should have about 12 Unix Technologies operational worldwide. That number would include between four and six operations in Europe, he added. De Fazio denied that Unix Labs has already set up a Unix Technologies subsidiary in Australia, saying that we’ve been negotiating, but nothing is finalised. However, Roel Pieper, chief executive officer of Unix Labs, speaking at the AUUG’92 conference in Sydney two weeks ago, was enthusiastically doing the rounds talking to prospective candidates. Each of the Unix Technologies operations are to be joint ventures with local Unix systems houses, with ownership split in favour of Unix Labs. Meanwhile in France, Robert Mitze, managing director of Unix Labs Europe Ltd, said, We’re having other discussions with potential partners in Europe, but we haven’t yet reached the point where we can announce them. The initial joint venture with Steria will be held 51% by Unix Labs and 49% by Steria.
