State and Corporate Leaders Promote Virginia as
Richmond - Representatives from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) and businesses across the Commonwealth recently attended CeBIT '97, one of the world's leading international trade shows for information technology and telecommunications held in Hannover, Germany. In 1997, more than 7,000 exhibitors from 60 countries played host to over 600,000 visitors from around the globe.
Home to one of the largest concentrations of information technology, telecommunications and Internet companies in the world, Virginia was promoted as an ideal trade partner and excellent location for international investment. This year's participation yielded the best results ever for Virginia exhibitors. Over 1,770 leads were generated while four companies forecast sales of $20 million within two years.
GENICOM Corporation, a global provider of printing, network and service solutions headquartered in Chantilly, held 570 meetings at CeBIT '97 and specifically forecasts $10 million in sales within the next year. The company also sold $200,000 worth of product on-site at the show.
Herndon-based InteliData (Nasdaq: INTD) Technologies signed a worldwide distribution agreement with France's Alcatel Telecom as a result of CeBIT '97. InteliData and Alcatel will team up to provide Caller ID adjuncts and telephones to international telephone companies launching Caller ID programs. This new strategic alliance couples Alcatel's experience and local expertise with InteliData's leadership in Caller ID technologies.
"CeBIT was a major success for Comsearch in that the show produced over 80 qualified business contacts," said Ed Crump, manager of technical sales at Comsearch, a communications engineering and consulting firm headquartered in Reston. "We estimated that it would have taken over six months to meet with and demonstrate our products to the potential clients we worked with at CeBIT."
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology, Arlington County Department of Economic Development, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, Loudoun County Department of Economic Development and the Greater Richmond Partnership organized and supported Virginia's Pavilion at CeBIT '97. The following Virginia companies also attended in order to increase their international business:
- Advanced Solutions International, Inc.
- America Online
- Coherent Communications Systems Corporation
- Comsearch
- GENICOM Corporation
- Globalink
- InteliData Technologies Corporation
- JetForm Corporation
- Landmark Systems Corporation
- MCI
- Netrix Corporation
- Network Imaging Corporation
- ORBCOMM
- S.T. Research Corporation
- SCALA Computer Television
- Softworks
- Vidar Systems Corporation
For further information on these CeBIT '97 results or to learn more about CeBIT '98 to be held March 19-25 in Hannover, Germany, please contact VEDP International Marketing Manager Nancy Vorona at 703-689-3059.
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