EMC Corporation Enters South African Market With Direct Presence

Hopkinton, - July 11, 1995 -

EMC Corporation, the world's leading independent provider of information storage and retrieval systems, today announced it is investing in the burgeoning South African market with a direct presence for the first time. EMC Computer Systems (South Africa) Limited will be established as EMC's first subsidiary in Africa.

EMC has acquired the EMC Operation of Datakor's Blue Chip Technologies, the Johannesburg-based distributor of EMC products since 1992. The companies did not disclose terms of the agreement, which becomes effective August 1, 1995.

"As the largest and most robust economy on the African continent, South Africa offers the kind of industrial profile and infrastructure that we find very attractive as we expand our global reach, " said Raymond Fortune, EMC Senior Vice President International Sales. "The increased political and economic stability that has accompanied the end of the apartheid and the first year of the new government, combined with the strong market presence already established for EMC products by Blue Chip Technologies, make this the right time and the right place for the creation of the newest EMC subsidiary."

With offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria and Durban, Blue Chip Technologies brings an experienced staff of sales, service and marketing leader in just three years in the South African market. Hugh Wason, Managing Director of Blue Chip Technologies, will lead the management team as EMC South Africa's Country Manager and be joined by the existing staff of Blue Chip Technologies, EMC Division.

"Several of South Africa's leading corporations have recognized what EMC storage can do for their competitive advantage," said Jeremy Ord, Chairman of Datakor, the parent company of Blue Chip Technologies. "We are extremely pleased to welcome a company of EMC's stature into the South African market. Blue Chip Technologies' customers include Standard Bank, Johannesburg Stock Exchange and Denel Informatics. I'm confident EMC will build on that base and enjoy great success here."

EMC currently has direct sales and service presence in North America, Europe and in the Asia/Pacific region with more than 80 offices around the world. EMC uses distributors as its primary sales channel in more than 30 countries in the Middle East, South America and in many Asia/Pacific countries. 1994 revenues from direct sales in Europe and Asia/Pacific more than doubled from the previous year. To accommodate the need for more manufacturing capacity for international markets, EMC has doubled the size of its manufacturing facility in Cork, Ireland.

EMC Corporation is a world leader in information storage and retrieval technology, designing systems for mainframe, midrange and open systems computing environments. The company has offices worldwide and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol EMC.