NEWS OF THE MICROFILM INDUSTRY
BEITA News BETA Members Please Note The Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM) has authorised a study in the U.S.A. by a big firm of Accountants. AIIM is hoping that this survey will fix the proper position of micrographics as part of the information technology world. The study is being financed by several of AIIM’s larger members and should be released later this year. It is going to be used as a major media event and this is being done in an attempt to gain highdr recognition for micrographics in the business community. It has been felt for some time that microfilm plays a very weak second fiddle to computer based and other electronic technologies. As BETA members will know in the United Kingdom — obtaining hard statistics will be a very difficult job indeed. However, until the various components of the micrographic industry are measured in some detail, it is impossible to give an accurate picture of its true state. This is initially being done by having discussions with nominated major manufacturers and then discussing the overall figures again with the various companies to try and arrange a concensus of opinion as to the size of the market. As in the U.K. there seems to be very little hard information about the size of the micrographics market and the composite picture proposed above will still not be as good as having complete and accurate figures from the major members of the industry. They are hoping, in the U.S.A., that eventually this will lead to members of the micrographic industry supplying proper and detailed figures, after twenty years of not having a mature approach to the situation. The same of course is very much true in the United Kingdom and nobody really knows the size of the market. BETA (The Business Equipment Trade Association) try most years to get some hard figures for the micrographics industry but have not had a lot of success to date. Further information from Philip Le Masurier, Public Relations Manager, BEITA, 8 Southampton Place, London WC1A 2EF, tel: 01-405 6233. Wicks & Wilson take the Gold Step Wicks & Wilson, who specialise in micrographics engineering (especially card to card duplicators) sell close to 90% of ther output overseas and also have a substantial production contract with 3M. They recently received the “ Golden Step” award from 3M. This is given to companies who design and manufacture products distributed by 3M that are profitable and generate not less than 1.4 million pounds in sales during the first twelve months. Wicks and Wilson won it for their model 968 high speed card to card duplicators. Micrographics Market Place would like to extend their congratulations to Terry Wilson at Wicks and Wilson as it is nice to see a U.K. company doing well, especially in exporting. See Pages 6 and 7 for LBES Review The M icrographics Market Place
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1986 No2 New name for BETA The Business Equipment Trade Association (BETA) has changed its name to The Business Equipment & Information Technology Association (BEITA) following a unanimous decision of member companies at the Association’s Annual General Meeting held on the 4th November 1986. The principal reasons for the change were explained by the Director General, Richard Palmer, who said that “ the inclusion of I T in the title will reflect, far more accurately, the Association’s total commitment to Information Technology, which now affects all aspects of business equipment. The development is also a logical step, following the formation, earlier this year, of the I T Group and the appointment of a Director of I T” . Election of President Jim Foster, Director of Corporate Services of IBM United Kingdom Ltd, was re-elected President of the Association for a second year at the Annual General Meeting. Jim Foster, who is the first member of IBM to become President of the Association, joined the company in 1956 and has substantial experience here and abroad of computing, systems engineering and general management. He was elected Vice-President of the association in 1984 and has been a member of the Council since 1982.
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