Crusader fights for Datasonix

Former Pargent Group subsidiary Datasonix Europe has sold off its stock and customer base to authorised reseller and software developer Crusader for less than u500,000.

Datasonix Europe was keen to sell the stock after US-based Datasonix Corporation went into liquidation this year. This contributed to Pargent Group going bust last month.

Under the agreement, Geoff Pluves, former director of operations for Datasonix Europe and now sales manager at Crusader, will manage the company's exclusive rights to distribute the tape drives.

Pluves claimed the Pereos tape drive was not dead. 'The past few months have caused an unsettled situation, but we are confident Sony will continue to manufacture the drives, providing there are a satisfactory number of orders,' he said.

He refused to say how much the business was worth, but claimed the Pargent Group was selling more than 1,000 units a month at its best.

Crusader, which used to be an authorised Datasonix reseller, stated an unnamed third-party US distributor was sourcing supplies of the tapes following the corporation's demise.

It is understood that Datasonix sold its software to Colorado-based Exabyte.