1. Company Background

Highway Electronics is a Sage Development Centre based in Brixham, Devon.

Highway specialises in order processing and accounting software for manufacturing and distribution companies from £100,000 to in excess of £20 million turnover. Highway have developed a number of production and order processing systems within the Sage Line 100 Retrieve 4GL programming language. These include GlassPro our order processing, production scheduling, production planning and control system for glass and glazing companies, MerchantPro - an order processing program and point of sale system fo rbuilders and merchants. PanelPro - an order processing system for manufacturers of door panels. We have experience of developing software applications for DOS and Windows, interfaces between design and accounting programs and interfacing to production machinery and electronic test equipment.

GlassPro was developed in 1984 by the Dartington Hall Trust Information Technology Centre ( ITEC ) under the direction of the centre manager Roger Butler and programmer Darron Redman. The program was developed as part of the commercial activities of the entre to meet the needs of glass processing and sealed unit manufacturing Companies. The software was marketed directly and through dealership arrangements and was part of a range of products, which included Window fabrication and glass optimisation.

In 1990 the Trust established Highway Electronics to hold the copyright of the software developed by the Information Technology Centre. Roger Butler and Darren Redman were appointed directors of the Company. When Dartington Trust reorganised its training services, the commercial activities were separated and in 1993 Roger Butler and Darren Redman took over Highway Electronics as an independent software development company. Existing dealership arrangements were terminated and the company took over marketing its products and services directly. The range of activities has been extended over the last six years to include manufacture and supply of computer systems and hardware maintenance.

We currently support around 200 installations throughout the UK, Northern and Southern Ireland, Europe and the Middle East.

Highway have a wealth of experience in the installation, commissioning and operation of single and multi - user computer systems. It is our policy to offer our clients comprehensive support and service on both hardware and software installation, and on the subsequent day to day operation of their computer system. Our services include:

• Installation of the software on your own hardware;
  
  
• Setting up proper menu systems with options for maintenance and updating of the software;
  
  
• Training your staff on - site to operate the programs, and to get the best out of them;
  
  
• Training your more proficient staff to use the Sovereign report writer;
  
  
• Providing you with comprehensive telephone support whenever you have a problem;
  
  
• Providing you with direct access support using a modem and software which actually allows us to take control of your terminal and demonstrate / make changes to your system as required;
  
  
• Providing you with regular program updates to ensure you are always running the latest version of the software;
  
  
• Regular newsletters / program observation notes / enhancement notes, advice on the use of the system, and consultancy on any aspect of your commercial or manufacturing system related to automation or computerisation.
  
  The Company's turnover has grown from £200,000 in 1993 / 4 to £400,000 in 1998 / 9 and staffing levels have grown from 3 to 9 personnel currently. Of these, 6 employees are engaged in technical support and the remainder on sales and administration.
  
  Our current development programs centres around the Windows 32 bit versions Sage Line 100.