TECHNOLOGY : UniDirect to Expand Software Business in International Markets

UniDirect Corp., a mail-order distributor of Unix software in Irvine, is gearing up to open a number of joint ventures with companies in Germany, Brazil, Guatemala and possibly Singapore.

President Bernard P. Jubb says the company is hoping to capitalize on the international demand for off-the-shelf software to run on computers that operate in the numerous versions of Unix, a computer operating system that is geared toward multiple users.

Most Unix software is provided by the large workstation manufacturers that install the systems, such as those built by Hewlett-Packard or Sun Microsystems.

Jubb and his partner, Michael Silton, discovered that there was a market in selling software to the companies that wanted to add various software packages in small numbers. The pair formed UniDirect in late 1990.

“We saw an opportunity in a complex market where it takes technical knowledge to serve the customer,” Jubb said.

The company already has joint ventures in Belgium and the United Kingdom. Under the deals, UniDirect owns 5% of each joint venture and has an option to acquire an additional 25% of the business.

UniDirect reported sales of $2.4 million for 1992, up from $350,000 in 1991, its first year. The privately held company is profitable but does not report its figures, Jubb said.

Not counting international sales, Jubb estimates the company will grow to $5 million in sales this year, if it can get enough financing to expand its inventory.

Jubb plans to branch out to offer software for Microsoft Corp.’s upcoming Windows NT operating environment, once the software giant begins selling the competitor to Unix later this year.