Computype Revenue and Competitors

Computype, Inc.'s roots trace back to 1966 when a small group of St. Paul, Minnesota investors formed a computer typesetting operation. In 1969 the operation was sold to Aspen Systems Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1971 it was acquired by American Can Company. In 1975 the company was bought from American Can by a group of three investors. Currently the company is under family ownership. In 1975 the company was primarily involved in publishing and typesetting corporate directories and the Daily Addendum and Intercept Record published for the telephone company. Computype's bar code production began in the early 1970s and eventually became its sole focus in 1984 when the company sold its directory and typesetting operations. The company's initial success in bar codes was achieved in the library industry. Computype successfully engineered bar code labels for books which were resistant to ultraviolet radiation. The company determined that there were other industries that could benefit from its engineering capabilities. A group led by The American Red Cross had explicit requirements for product performance that exceeded any other bar code label users. Individual image quality, die cutting, printing registration, adhesive performance, roll size and other traditional printer requirements were critical specifications unique to the blood industry. Computype achieved the industry's goals and became the dominant supplier in that market. The company's ability to meet the standards of the blood transfusion industry allowed Computype to achieve similar gains in other industries such as auto, tire, general manufacturing and electronics. Computype's success in a variety of industries has been achieved in part due to the photographic process the company pioneered to produce bar code label products. Under this process, the bar code image is an actual photographic original that is formed within the photosensitive paper itself and not simply laid down on the surface. In order to add product breadth, the company continuously expands its variable imaging technology beyond photographic imaging. In the late 1980s as the bar code industry continued to grow and technology improved, Computype recognized situations and tasks where alternative bar code technologies were better suited to meet customer needs. Specifically, the company acquired ID Concepts (a/k/a Yankee Concepts) and Protocol Etiquette in 1990. ID Concepts, located in Concord, New Hampshire is a short-run/quick turnaround supplier of custom thermal transfer label products. Protocol Etiquette, located in Paris, France offers laser printing capabilities in addition to thermal transfer. Computype also has two other European subsidiaries; Computype, Europe, a manufacturing facility in Hull, England and Computype GmbH, in Hanau, West Germany. Changes in technologies which permit on-site generation of labels broaden and support the company's strategy. Emphasis on quality and customer specific engineering continues to increase. In addition, the company maintains its strong market presence in pre-printed technologies, including photographic imaging, digital color, flexography, thermal transfer, and ink jet. We have already been involved in several successful RFID applications, and intend to bring the same technical leadership and customer focus to that area as we have to every other area which we serve.