Evesham brand up for sale as Austin walks

TimeUK founder Tahir Mohsan said today he has put the Evesham Technology Ltd brand up for sale, following the departure of the defunct British computer maker’s co-founder and chairman Richard Austin last month.

Mohsan issued a press release today in which he claims that his Dubai-based outfit, PCC Technology, has “successfully completed” the so-called “restructuring” of Evesham Technology Ltd, which had gone into administration in August last year.

Mohsan said: “It is PCC’s objective to seek a buyer for Geemore Technology Limited. The company has been offered to Richard [Austin] but he has decided for his own reasons that this is not the right time for him. If a buyer cannot be found, Geemore intends to continue but the operation may be reduced to a smaller operation with lower overheads, in a controlled and responsible manner, whilst ensuring that customers are not affected.”

Geemore Technology had been created by Mohsan in an attempt to prop up Evesham Technology after the struggling indigenous British system builder went into administration.

Austin, who had stayed on at the firm’s Vale Park headquarters, quit his directorship at Geemore Technology Ltd and was replaced by John Aikman on 4 January.

Meanwhile the Evesham Micros name, under which Evesham Technology had been trading under since Mohsan stepped in, was officially changed to Geemore Technology Ltd on the 14 January, according to records at Companies House.

Although Mohsan said last year he would pump $22m (£11m) – via PCC Technology – into a rescue package for the firm, it wasn’t enough to save the majority of the company’s Worcestershire-based workers, as well as others working in showrooms throughout the UK. Most of them lost their jobs last summer.

The employment axe swung again on the same day that Austin left the firm last month, with only a handful of remaining staff being given temporary contracts to stay on at Vale Park.

Mohsan also claims all customer orders had been “fulfilled or deposits refunded”. He added that “free” support for Evesham kit had now ended.

He said: “It was no longer possible for Evesham to provide free support to its customers. However, PCC was conscious not to leave customers out on a limb without any support so has negotiated reduced rates with Total Care so that customers can take up support should they desire.”

In recent days a number of readers have told The Register that representatives from Total Care And Support Ltd have been offering new warranties to customers for any Evesham-branded kit – at a price.

A rep at Total Care, which is based at the Time Technology Park in Burnley and lists Mohsan's business partner Tariq Mohammed as director, had already confirmed to us that the firm had taken full control of the Evesham Technology customer warranty list.

She said that reps had been contacting individuals to sell them warranties that range from £4.99 to £9.99 a month for Evesham Technology kit that was bought before August last year.

Austin said in today's statement that he was taking a break in his career “as far as IT is concerned” because he lacks the “energy required” to stay in the business.

He refused to provide El Reg with further comment on his departure. Austin also declined to tell us more about his latest business venture, Alqemi Ltd, a new company which he created on 1 February.

We also requested comment from Richard Singleton who is now dealing with all Evesham-related enquires, but he is yet to return our call. ®