Nixdorf plans Chch base

Press, 22 April 1986, Page 27

Nixdorf plans Chch base

The recent Southern Business Expo in Christchurch saw the first South Island appearance of Nixdorf Computer, Ltd, the New Zealand subsidiary of the West German computer supplier. Nixdorf will soon open a Christchurch branch in Amuri Court, in Durham Street, to sell and support its equipment in the South Island.

It is one of Europe’s largest and most successful computer companies, with offices in 41 countries and a big export market.

It has been especially successful in banking and retailing applications. Many European banks are Nixdorf users, including Britain’s Midland Bank, which has equipment in more than 1600 branches.

The company’s main computer family is the 8870 series, a mainly 16bit architecture which covers a range from small to large general-purpose computers. Nixdorf also sells IBM PC-compatible microcomputers and IBMcompatible mainframes. Starting as a distributor in Auckland in 1980, the New Zealand division is now a fully-owned subsidiary of Nixdorf Computer AG.

A number of the larger New Zealand sites are data entry and distributed processing systems for companies which have other suppliers’ mainframes computers. These include Air New Zealand, American Express and the Department of Statistics (which has a 24 terminal system in Christchurch).

Nixdorf’s Christchurch office will be managed by Mr Kevin Stevens. Mr Bob Louden will be responsible for engineering support. According to Mr Lew Laing, the managing director of the New Zealand subsidiary, the new office represents a $200,000 investment by the company.

"We are not a small company world-wide and do not intend to be a small company here,” said Mr Laing. “We have had a very good reception in Christchurch so far and I am surprised how weak on the ground some of our competition is.” Initially the local office will be going after distributing and manufacturing companies in the South Island using the 8870 and an application software package called Comet. Comet is used by more the 40,000 users worldwide. It is supported from West Germany and adaptable for different countries and different users by an appropriate selection of the 2000 parameters that condition the package. GST is no problem, said Mr Laing. “We just switch it on.” The package is used in European coun-’ tries which have similar taxes. Nixdorf will also be aiming to sell point of sale systems in the South Island and has a long term strategy to be prominent in the banking market.

“I think there is going to be some dramatic changes in banking with the liberalisation of the industry,” said Mr Laing.