Designer Technology stays put despite partner's move

By PETER GRIFFIN

Californian software maker NetIQ may be shutting its Auckland lab and bundling development off to Texas, but close partner Designer Technology is staying put and fighting hard to avoid the fallout.

Designer Technology was last week deluged with calls from business partners and customers scared the NetIQ pull-out would also spell the end for the company, which developed the MailMarshal and WebMarshal products. These were sold to NetIQ as part of Marshal Software for $45 million in late 2002.

"A recruitment company rang me asking if I was looking for a job," said Designer Technology's exasperated general manager, Jason Westland.

While Designer Technology had continued to contract to NetIQ, it had foreseen the pull out some time ago so the impact on business was minimal.

In its own right, Westland said the company was soon to grow from 32 to 35 staff. It had set its sights almost entirely on Microsoft technologies. Designer Technology was doing most if its business in Auckland

The founders of Marshal Software were still onboard as directors of Designer Technology and Westland said their experience would be used to find and developed "mini Marshals".