Dataflex Team to Focus on PC OEMS After Speedy MBO

Dataflex, the modem manufacturing arm of the Amstrad empire, is aiming to complete its management buyout by the end of July.

As predicted in PC Dealer (16 April), the buyout team is being led by MD Jacob van Houdt, sales and marketing director Nigel Rix, technical director Gerry O?Prey and financial director Brian Jobson. A source claimed that the venture capital firm MTI was providing the financial backing.

?The venture capital organisation has agreed in principal that it would like to go forward. We?re carrying out the due diligence,? said Rix, adding that the team was looking to refinance the company and grow it by focusing on PC OEMs.

Rix confirmed that the second option open to the MBO team was to negotiate with another interested investor, who has not been named.

In a statement, Amstrad said Dataflex had not fulfilled expectations since it was bought in 1995 and if the buyout fell through it would be significantly rationalised and the technology absorbed into Viglen as part of plans to break up Amstrad.