Software fund invests in Relcon's potential

Continuum, which has bought 'a significant stake' in Relcon, has a background of involvement in high-tech companies in healthcare and point of sale systems, and chose the Cardiff-based business after 'a thorough investigation of the market'.
Part of the Relcon portfolio is the FOCUS practice management system, which the company has been supplying to selected optical groups since 1998.
Relcon managing director Robert Ward, who will continue as managing director, told optician that the company's name would not change.
'We have had a tremendous three and a half years, culminating in a very successful Optrafair where we were inundated with enquiries,' he said.
'But we knew that to maintain this momentum, and to continue to give our users the high level of support they have rightly come to expect, we would need a higher level of financial and managerial expertise than we currently possess.'
Mr Ward said that Continuum offered this and would enable the company to grow.
Al Chetwode, managing partner of Continuum, said: 'When we were at the early stage of researching this market Relcon invited us to come along to their user group meeting.
'This showed a lot of confidence. In my experience most software companies usually shy away from these forums on the basis that they are seen as an opportunity for clients to complain. What we saw here was a very different phenomenon. Relcon had listened to what the users had talked about in the previous user group meeting and had actually done something about it.'
Relcon aims to expand the user base of the FOCUS practice management system internationally, a process which has started with installations in Ireland and Jamaica. The business will also look to increase its share of the UK and overseas markets through organic means and acquisitions.
david.challinorrbi.co.uk