Is SCO buying HCR?
David Blackwood
dave at revcan.UUCP
Wed May 9 10:58:29 AEST 1990
In article <263DEBAD.9FE at telly.on.ca> evan at telly.on.ca (Evan Leibovitch) writes:
>There is a rumour floating around that HCR, the main distributor of
>Interactive 386/ix in Canada, is about to be bought out by SCO.
>
>If true this would, um, sort of affect the distribution and support for
>Canada and some parts of the US. This could have a major effect on
>Canadians presently using 386/ix.
>
>The rumour apparently is traced to someone within HCR. Is there any
>truth to it?
Yes, it's true. The following is the text of a press release issued jointly
by SCO and HCR on Monday, May 7, courtesy of the SCO On-line Support system:
THE SANTA CRUZ OPERATION, INC. TO ACQUIRE HCR CORPORATION
Toronto Software Firm To Provide Programming Tools,
Custom Development, And Canadian Presence As SCO Canada, Inc.
TORONTO, CANADA and SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA (MAY 7, 1990)-
The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. (SCO(R)) and HCR Corporation
today jointly announced that SCO intends to acquire 100% of
HCR, the leading UNIX(R) System software company in Canada.
HCR will run as an independent subsidiary company, and will
change its name to SCO Canada, Inc. The transaction is
subject to completion of legal review and final shareholder
approval.
According to SCO president and co-founder Larry Michels,
``This will benefit SCO in three areas. We will strengthen
our position in programming tools, particularly under Open
Desktop, our complete graphical operating system for 386 and
486 computers. Second, we will increase our ability to
supply OEM and corporate contract-development services and
consulting. SCO's increasing penetration of OEM and large
corporate accounts has increased the demand for these
services. Finally, HCR will also provide a direct SCO
presence in Canada, thereby establishing SCO's unquestioned
leadership in this growing market.''
Doug Michels, SCO executive vice president and co-founder
said, ``I've known HCR and its management for years, and I
have always respected their technical excellence and strong
development management. Our goal in the transaction is to
obtain the services of a really talented group as well as to
acquire additional technology and market presence.''
HCR president Michael Tilson said, ``We are delighted to
join with SCO. We've always had superb abilities in UNIX
System software development and programming tools. By
aligning ourselves with the world's market leader in open-
system software, we vastly increase our scope.''
Tilson added that the merger will expand opportunities for
employees, shareholders, and customers. He said, ``Our
company has had a warm, personal relationship with SCO for
some time.''
Tilson will continue to head the Toronto operation while
becoming a vice president of SCO. HCR's existing management
structure will remain in place, and all current employees
will retain their positions. Significant expansion of all
groups in Toronto is likely in the coming year.
HCR provides a variety of programming tools products in the
UNIX System marketplace, most notably HCR/C++, an object-
oriented programming language, and dbXtra, an advanced
debugging and program development tool which works with
HCR/C++. HCR will take on a world-wide mandate for SCO in
many areas of programming tools development.
HCR provides custom UNIX System software development
services to major clients, including IBM, Intel, and other
major computer manufacturers. HCR has been increasingly
active with corporate as well as OEM clients. Under the new
arrangement, HCR will continue to service and add to its
existing client base while also focusing on OEM, corporate,
and government users of SCO UNIX System V and Open Desktop.
HCR is the leading UNIX System software company in Canada,
and supplies packaged UNIX systems for Intel 386 and 486-
based computers to resellers, VARs, and systems integrators.
HCR will now become the Canadian arm of SCO.
According to HCR's director of packaged software support
Michael Monahan, ``We will continue to service our current
Canadian customer base for as long as is necessary to meet
their requirements. When you add product lines, it's
important to ensure that no customer is at a disadvantage.''
As SCO's new subsidiary, HCR will take over SCO's Canadian
customer base. The only change these customers will observe
over time will be an improvement in SCO's Canadian profile
and market sensitivity. SCO will be able to provide more
responsive distributor and reseller support in Canada.
Tilson commented, ``It is very important to provide
consistent terms, conditions and support to our SCO reseller
base. We think the only surprises customers will see will
be pleasant ones.''
Detailed financial terms of the acquisition were not
announced. Company officials said that the transaction would
consist of a share swap with a multi-million dollar value.
At the completion of the transaction, SCO will own 100% of
HCR Corporation.
The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc., is a privately held company
recognized internationally as the worldwide leader in open-
system software solutions. SCO offers a wide range of UNIX
System V software solutions, training, and support services
for standard hardware platforms. To date, SCO has shipped
over 300,000 UNIX systems - more than any other supplier.
Founded in 1979, SCO fields a staff of over a thousand
between its Santa Cruz, California, Washington D.C., and
London offices, including one of the largest UNIX System
technical teams in the world.
HCR Corporation is a privately held company with
headquarters in Toronto, Canada. Founded in 1976, HCR
develops system software for the expanding UNIX System
market. HCR's products include both custom and packaged
software in the areas of UNIX System development tools,
operating systems, and networking. HCR serves a worldwide
customer base of manufacturers, developers, and end users.
# # #
SCO is a registered trademark, and The Santa Cruz Operation
and Open Desktop are trademarks of The Santa Cruz Operation,
Inc.
UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T in the USA and other
countries.
HCR/C++ and dbXtra are trademarks of HCR Corporation.
IBM is a registered trademark of the International Business
Machines Corporation.
Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
D. J. Blackwood Room 3052, 400 Cumberland St.
Research Project Manager Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0L8
Office Communications Division
Revenue Canada, Taxation Phone: (613) 957-9305
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