JSE-listed software and outsourcing group UCS has embarked on an export drive through international partnerships in an effort to make the weak rand work in its favour.
"We want to maintain costs in rands and our income in pounds," says Peter Terblanche, UCS Group director responsible for export. "With more than 200 software developers and world-beating software products, UCS is well poised to take advantage of the rand`s weakness against the pound and other international currencies."
UCS has embarked on an export drive for its range of software products for the retail market and has identified the UK as the primary market it will address.
According to Terblanche, the group has opted for partnerships, rather than choosing higher risk options such as opening offices or buying companies overseas.
UCS has partnered with Milton Keynes-based Retail Business Solutions (RBS) for the retail chain market. RBS has a strong presence in the smaller retail chains and is looking to move into the top end of the market.
RBS recently launched the UCS Retail Solution to the UK market. The solution is a fully hosted managed service for large-scale retailers. The latest UCS systems are based on licence-free Java and Linux technology where the retailer pays a monthly charge per store effective only once the system has been successfully installed.
In addition, recently acquired UCS subsidiary CCS will sell its Windows-based POS software through dealers and VARs via Basingstoke-based Hero Systems.
According to UCS, the software is particularly well suited to the UK hospitality market.
UCS`s operating income slipped to R19.56 million for the six months to March, compared to the R19.98 million reported for the comparable period.
Its share price has been trading steadily at 85c for the past week and currently has a price to earnings ratio of 7.88.
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