INTERNATIONAL TRADE : Local Investors, U.S.S.R. Participating in a PC Joint Venture

Anaheim computer executive Leonard McKenzie has invested in a U.S.-Soviet joint venture that will assemble and sell personal computers in Moscow.

The venture will be 50% owned by Sovaminco, a Moscow-based venture between Unicorn Investments International of Huntington Beach and Soviet government interests. The other half will be owned by an investor group led by McKenzie, president of General Automation Inc., and Don Olson, a Huntington Beach consultant.

McKenzie, who is involved as a private investor, would not disclose the amount of his investment.

General Automation is not participating in the deal, said John Howorth, marketing vice president for the Anaheim computer company. Howorth added, however, that General Automation might be interested in selling products through the venture in the future.

The Moscow assembly plant is expected to be operating by December, Olson said.

In a separate agreement, Sovaminco and the McKenzie group said they plan to open a business center where personal computers, printers and software will be rented to foreign companies and executives. There also are plans to sell computer parts to the Soviets and to provide photocopying services there, said Martin Lopata, chairman and chief executive of Unicorn.

The center, to be called the Sovaminco Business Center, will be owned equally by Sovaminco and McKenzie’s group. It is scheduled to open in January at Dom Kniga, Moscow’s largest bookseller.