Measuresoft Development

2 . Background

2.1 Company Background

Fergal Cassidy established Measuresoft in 1989 to provide software-contracting services for the SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) market. The company specialises in the development and integration of information systems. It has experience of developing solutions and services for a broad range of industry sectors, including:

• Manufacturing
• Energy
• Power
• Telecommunications

Measuresoft now offer products and services in the following three areas:

• SCADA
• Fixed price application projects
• Software consulting

They have achieved ISO9001 accreditation across all areas of their business and have achieved Microsoft Gold Partner status.

Specifically, they have developed software and provided consulting services in the following areas:

Manufacturing Applications

• Supervisory Control, Data Acquisition and data Logging Systems
• Real-Time Information Systems Development
• Process Monitoring and Control
• OLE for Process Control (OPC) Development
• CAD/CIM Integration

EBusiness Solutions

• Online Project Collaboration and Management Solutions
• Web-based Commerce Applications, Transaction Sites and Portal Development
• Web Application Integration and Development

Mobile Telecommunications

• OMC Network Management Systems Development for GSM, GPRS and UMTS

Measuresoft provide more than the software. They deliver a full solution including documentation, training and support.

A key component of Measuresoft’s strategy has been their partnership with Microsoft. They have a dedicated team of Microsoft Certified software engineers, software architects, system analysts and project managers committed to delivering complete business solutions.

By 1998, Measuresoft was achieving revenues of just under £500,000 and had nine full-time staff all working on software development.

2.2 Market Background

The contract software market is worth several billion dollars per annum worldwide. Major players in the field include Wonderware and Interllution. Competitors come from as far away as India, the US and Eastern Europe. To compete against the big players, Measuresoft has focused its efforts by targeting a specific niche in the market. Whilst the big players chase the general manufacturing areas, Measuresoft has focused on and developed a depth of expertise in both the oil and gas exploration market and test and measurement for the aircraft industry. Towards the end of the 1990s, consolidation in the SCADA market put Measuresoft under competitive pressure and this resulted in a decline in revenues. However they responded by diversifying into the telecommunications sector by developing capabilities in network management solutions.

Measuresoft’s channel to market is focused around a network of distributors throughout the US, Scandinavia and the UK. They are currently developing a direct sales force to access the UK market directly.

There is no getting away from the fact that Measuresoft have to compete on price. Their customer base includes a number of very large customers and this reduces their negotiating power. However, they have developed their market positioning to compete on application specific features. Whilst they are prepared to introduce additional functionality into a product to meet idiosyncratic customer requirements, many of their larger competitors will not do so.