Thursday, March 18, 1999
ShivaSoft roars new name
Tigr to be new moniker as software firm moves to
launch new products
By TIMOTHY LE RICHE, EDMONTON SUN
ShivaSoft Inc. is clawing up its spiritually inspired image in
favour of a tiger, or more specifically, a "tigr."
Shareholders of the Edmonton-based software firm have
indicated in surveys they approve of the proposed name change
to TigrSoft Inc. next week.
"We were launching a new family of products, and we wanted to
create a new image and a new look for the company," said
company president and CEO Dilip Kembhavi.
At their annual general meeting in Edmonton next Thursday,
shareholders will be asked to abandon the name Shiva, a Hindu
god of great power, to replace it with the image of a tiger,
commanding respect, said Kembhavi.
In addition to seeking a new image, ShivaSoft had a couple of
other concerns about marketing its name, said Kembhavi.
First, an American company with a similar name was not doing
well and was sometimes confused with the Edmonton firm.
Second, a word in Hebrew, pronounced almost the same as
"Shiva," means a period of bereavement after a death in the
family, said Kembhavi.
Shiva is one of the two leading Hindu gods and is depicted in art
with a terrifying appearance although considered to be merciful.
He is the deity of destruction and a re-creation.
ShivaSoft emerged in 1993 from DMK Consultants, a part-time
one-man outfit run by Kembhavi. It had sales of about $180,000
in its first year. In fiscal 1998, ShivaSoft brought in net income of
$327,795 on operating revenue of $6.1 million. First-quarter
results for this year are due out tomorrow.
ShivaSoft makes software that accounts for factors such as raw
materials, labour and order priorities in setting up schedules for
the manufacturing process.
The tiger was chosen as an image to reflect the new product line,
said Kembhavi.
"The characteristic of our products is that they're powerful,
they're fast, they're agile," said Kembhavi. "What projects that?
The tiger. They're at the top of the food chain."
TigrSoft is now a division of ShivaSoft, but the old name will be
phased out after shareholder approval, said Kembhavi. The new
software lineup will use the Tigr name, like TigrALS for assembly
line sequencing and TigrTrack for data collection, he said.
They dropped the letter "e" from Tigr to stick with four letters,
but also ease the registration process for copyright and
trademark.
Kembhavi was at a Chicago trade show this week selling the new
Tigr line. |
