TETRA digital radio specialist ‘states' its case in US

Sepura, the Cambridge based digital radio technology specialist, has posted a 26 per cent rise in revenues and a 34 per cent increase in profits for the year to March 29 - and studded in the glittering figures was a rare gem.

CEO Gordon Watling announced that Sepura had shipped the first fleet of TETRA radios to North America.

The traditionally protectionist US market, ringfenced by legacy legislation, is about to be prised open and Sepura has manouvered a great position from which to exploit its largest unconquered market.

Having sniped around the edges with success in Canada, Sepura has now ramped up capability in the whole North American region ready for its killer move.

Watling revealed to shareholders that Sepura had been invited to tender for “an increasing number of opportunities across the United States as commercial organisations seek to benefit from the cost-effective and technically superior solution that TETRA offers.

“The company’s presence in North America is being expanded through the recruitment of a local sales team and the appointment of further partners.” Sepura recently appointed SafeMobile LLC as its newest channel partner in North America as well as a Sepura applications programme partner and one of Sepura’s centres of competence for support in the US.

The company also appointed Steve Cragg as president of Sepura North America. With over 20 years of industry experience, he joins from Tait Communications, where for the last five years he was president of the Americas region. Cragg was instrumental in guiding the transformation of Tait into an industry leader in the provision of radio solutions to the public safety and utilities sectors.

Guy-Franck Nakach, senior VP of sales & marketing for Sepura, said: “The North American market is steadily showing a growing interest in TETRA. In appointing an established and very experienced senior executive such as Steve, we demonstrate our full commitment to a long term engagement in one of our most strategically important markets.

“In addition, we are partnering with some of the most competent, expert and knowledgeable reseller organisations in the region to spearhead the distribution and deployment of our product offering within our target market sectors. This also means that we will be able to provide our North American customers with reliable local support throughout the sales cycle and beyond.”

Cragg added: “These are very exciting times for a variety of market sectors in North America; last year’s approval for the use of TETRA in the US and the recent TETRA contract awards in Canada will undoubtedly generate further opportunities for this technology and its vendors.

“Users in the region have long been seeking the benefits provided by a genuinely open standard such as TETRA and I am confident that Sepura’s comprehensive offering will continue to find an eager audience ready to embrace the unique digital dividends that TETRA offers.”
Sepura recently struck a rich vein by winning a contract with New Gold Inc. mining company in Canada - the first TETRA contract with the mining industry in Canada and North America.

TETRA voice and data communications will help deliver improved team working, safety and productivity in New Gold mines’ extreme environments. Sepura TETRA terminals will be used in a variety of surface and subterranean operations at New Gold mines. They deliver crystal-clear voice communications plus ‘man-down’ emergency features and offer other features such as GPS location capabilities to ensure workers stay safe and productive - even at the most remote locations.

Source: Businessweekly