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Software Developers Meet Distributors, Investors If Yvon Robert is going to take on software titans like Adobe Systems and Corel, he's going to need help. "I'm a small player," said Robert, president of Sign Max Enterprises Inc., an east-end software firm with eight employees and annual sales of $750,000. "I need distributors who will help me get my product out there." That's why he was at the Quebec Software Promotion Centre's Alliances '98 yesterday. The networking event attracted 90 exhibitors and 500 software developers, publishers, distributors and investors. Most were from Quebec, but several French and U.S. companies were present, as well as some Canadian firms from outside Quebec. Robert, who specializes in software for professional sign-makers, was showing off VIP Studio, a new product aimed at consumers. It allows users to manipulate photos and graphics to create catalogues, posters and multimedia slide shows. Corel and Adobe have similar products. Tenrox Time & Expense Ludwig Melik, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Tenrox Inc., was at the event to demonstrate Tenrox Time & Expense, software used by consultants, engineers, architects, lawyers and others to track time, cost, billing and expenses."The product streamlines and simplifies tracking, which in most companies is still being done on paper and in complicated spreadsheets", Melik said. Tenrox, whose software is already being used by multinationals like Philip Morris, Xerox, Lucent and Sony, is growing fast thanks to sales, mostly in the U.S. Over the past year, its staff has grown from 10 to 30. Sales will reach $1 million this year. "We're here to meet people in the industry and to get our name out there," Melik said. Tenrox is also looking for Quebec partners because it will launch a French version of Tenrox Time & Expense for the Quebec market in the spring. Before the exhibition, the 400-member Quebec Software Promotion Centre announced it has signed a partnership agreement with the Software Publishers Association, a major U.S.-based industry trade group. Under the deal, Quebec software firms will have access to SPA's market information and consulting services, and will get discounts on the association's conferences and publications. More Firms Are Exporting QSPC president Claude Pineault told the software firms at the event that the agreement will make it easier for Quebec firms to expand beyond the province's borders. He noted that in 1992, only 36 per cent of QSPC members were selling their wares outside Quebec. Today, about 55 per cent are exporting. "The alliance with the SPA is happening at the right time since 24 per cent of our members are trying to break onto the American market," Pineault said. SPA's global projects manager, Fred Hoch said the Washington-based association "feels Quebec has a strong and burgeoning software industry that will be very prominent in the years to come." The new partnership "will provide amazing opportunities to network with companies throughout the world, especially in the U.S., and to develop strategic alliances," Hoch said. Thursday 3 December 1998
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