4Front to search for the fabulous four

The 4Front Group intends to make up to four acquisitions next year, including some in Europe, in a bid to become a $200 million company by 1999.

Joel Jervis, divisional managing director of the products group at 4Front, said the firm was considering setting up in Germany, France or Ireland as well as growing its networking business through takeovers.

4Front has already increased its turnover from #20 million to #50 million through several acquisitions this year, including the purchase of storage distributor Hammer.

Management changes include John Walduck, ex-operations director, who has been promoted to general manager of storage distribution subsidiary Compass, and Ed Brown, formerly at Epson, was recruited as business unit manager for Compass' network distribution services arm.

In addition, Compass won an exclusive agreement to sell US firm HDS' network computer. Jervis said: 'We are months ahead of everyone else.

Other people are still talking about shipping but we're out there.'

He said the company was looking to appoint seven resellers to handle the NC product.