Acorn sues over unpaid bills

Troubled Acorn Computers has issued a writ against Texas vendor Curtis Mathes Marketing - now Uniview Technologies - for unpaid products and services worth more than $1.3 million.

The writ was issued on 14 October and detailed how the US firm, which supplies television-based technology, failed to pay a total of four invoices between October and December 1997.

The invoices, which should have been paid within a 30-day period, range from $205,000 on 8 October, to $845,292.81 on 24 December. The writ also included an additional demand for interest worth $130,000.

According to Andy Mee, senior vice president, sales and marketing at Acorn, the vendor began working with Curtis Mathes Marketing at the beginning of last year.

'Acorn designed the Uniview technology that the company was selling in the US,' he said.

But Mee added: 'As far as I am aware, the company has ceased selling the product now.'

A TURBULENT YEAR

February: Acorn restructures into three groups: software; licensing and consulting; workstations.

June: Half-year results reveal a #5.6 million operating loss and a 60 per cent drop in sales.

August: Acorn sheds its 26 per cent stake in Arm holdings.

September: Cancellation of Risc2 and 75 redundancies announced. End of desktop development in favour of digital technology.

November: Tulip scraps plans to take on Risc2, as resellers desert channel due to lack of updated products.