Unlike the many victims of the personal computer price war, London-based manufacturer Viglen Ltd is thriving, with turnover up 43% to UKP54m because of what it describes as its emphasis on customer support. No profit figures were given. The number of boxes it shifted also increased 59% to 40,000, accounting for 80% of total group turnover. Another 15% of revenues came from selling other manufacturers’ peripheral products, including Hewlett-Packard Co’s printers; and the last 5% was generated from services, such as on-site maintenance, up-grades and repairs. According to technical marketing director, Diran Kazandjian, the group’s main customers are found in the corporate market, government, and education – he claims Viglen is one of the top three suppliers to UK universities. But it only sells its products in the UK because, Kazandjian says, each year it has worked to the limits of its capacity, and so never managed to expand. This could change though, he added, if UK sales flatten. As for the year ahead, he said he would be very happy to maintain growth at current levels, but reckons this in unlikely as it is difficult to keep on growing at such high rates. But the thrusting company does have lots of new products in the pipeline, he added, to help it on its way.
