| |
>> These contracts are not all for Y2K. TPRO lost 28 cents last qtr with these very same contracts you are referencing. TPRO is in a very competitive business with lowering profit margins. These service industries have been showing declining profits for years now! <<
Excerpt from:
edgar-online.com
In late fiscal 1997, the Company signed a strategic alliance agreement with PacifiCorp Energy Services, Inc., a division of PacifiCorp Holdings, Inc., a leading electrical utility with international operations headquartered in
Portland, Oregon. The alliance agreement addresses the joint development of
business in automating utility and industrial power distribution substations.
The alliance combines the automation technology and know-how of Topro with the
utility specific experience and know-how of the PacifiCorp engineering
resources.
During the fourth quarter of fiscal 1997, the Company announced a major
business initiative based on its PlantY2KOne-TM- suite of products and services
designed to address year 2000 compliance problems in process control and
factory automation systems.
The PlantY2KOne-TM- product suite includes a methodology designed specifically
to address the manufacturing and process floor environment, an inventory and
compliance database that includes vendor information for commonly used
factory automation hardware and software components and search engines that
locate date related code in application programs.
The methodology includes assessment, analysis, planning and remediation phases.
The process begins with an assessment in which the overall project is defined
and organized. An inventory of all process control hardware and software is
then completed. In the analysis phase, that inventory is examined, component
by component, with the Company's database of vendor year 2000 compliance
statements and custom code is analyzed with its search engines to reveal date
usage. The conversion planning stage addresses the results of the analysis to
develop a plan for bringing the client's system into year 2000 compliance. The
final stage is to execute the remediation plan.
The Company supplies either "end to end" consulting services built upon the
methodology and use of the database and tools, or it will sell the methodology,
tools and database access, packaged on CD ROM supported by internet access to
the client for self execution. The CD ROM version of the product is in late
stage development and is expected to be available to market in October 1997.
[How many CD's shipping already?]
During the first 60 days after introduction, the Company received more than a
dozen engagements for its Y2KOne-TM- services. In addition, the Company has
received more than 10 requests for proposals for multi-plant engagements.
Though only in its early stages of these engagements, which makes forecasting
difficult, the Company believes its Y2KOne-TM- product and services hold
significant near-term commercial opportunity. To properly support that
opportunity, the Company will have to add significant staff, perhaps as many as
150 engineers. Further, it will have to make additional investment in product
development.
Management believes that its pursuit of year 2000 business opportunities will
have long-term effects on its operations. In addition to the near-term effect
of increased revenues and improved margins, the Company expects that these
efforts will expand its client base for its core business of system
integration.
Subsequent to June 30, 1997, the Company signed preliminary distribution
agreements with major automation hardware and software suppliers, including
Wonderware, Inc. and Square D Company, a division of Groupe Schneider, and is
developing a strategic alliance agreement with Fluor Daniel, Inc. that will
include marketing its products and services to Fluor Daniel customers.
During fiscal 1997, the Company provided process control systems and services
to national firms including the following:
Coca-Cola
Baxter
Hunt-Wesson
Nestle
Nabisco
Hershey
Westshore Pipeline
Boeing
Fluor Daniel
Hewlett Packard
O.C. America Construction
AMAX Minerals
Cyprus Minerals
Marshall Hyman
Unocal Corporation
Bounced Czech
(No sense in looking back.) |
|
