SCIENCE/ TECHNOLOGY : CMS Chief Happy About Joint Venture With Korean Firm

Jim Farooquee, president and chief executive of CMS Enhancements of Irvine, was brimming with enthusiasm at the Comdex computer trade show on Monday.

Farooquee said the computer products company’s recent joint-venture agreement with South Korea’s TriGem Corp. will give CMS its first opportunity to sell complete computer systems rather than just the disk drives and other components used for computers.

TriGem, which manufactures computers for Epson Corp., introduced a line of personal computers, laptop computers and high-powered workstations at Comdex. The machines will be sold under the TriGem name, and CMS will distribute them.

“It is a perfect match,” Farooquee said. “They are a strong manufacturing corporation, and we are a good marketing and sales company.” Farooquee said the products will begin shipping in December, and by early next year more details of the joint venture and CMS marketing strategy will become available.

Is Farooquee worried about TriGem introducing a line of new products in the middle of an economic downturn? Not really, he said.

“For the computer business, the recession may be in pockets,” he said. “From the standpoint of people who have not kept up with the evolving technology, it will be difficult. Those who keep up will continue to do well.

“If there is a recession,” he added, “people will look for lower-cost machines. We will have low Far Eastern manufacturing costs and sales people who know this market.”

CMS also introduced several new products at the show, including a line of 3.5-inch hard-disk drives available for IBM PS/2 computers. Prices range from $1,299 to $4,099.