Fast growing tech company earns award

12.00pm

A New Zealand company which has the backing of Microsoft chief Bill Gates for producing cutting-edge computer products has earned a top export award.

Christchurch's Pulse Data International, designer and manufacturer of products for the blind and visually impaired, has won a Trade New Zealand Export Award for achieving 76 per cent growth in export sales in the past year.

Pulse Data's marketing manager, Greg Thompson, said the company had achieved phenomenal export growth in the past five years.

He painted a bright future for the company, with annual foreign exchange earnings of almost $40 million in 2001, which are expected to increase substantially this year.

The company's flagship product BrailleNote organiser, which allows blind people to check their e-mail, has become a smash hit in offshore markets.

BrailleNote is a major breakthrough in its field and has received personal endorsement from Mr Gates, who is pictured on the BrailleNote.com website with Christchurch Professor Russell Smith -- one of the driving forces behind Pulse Data.

Miss Clark officially launched the new organiser at New Zealand House in London two years ago this month, during her visit to meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair at 10 Downing St.

BrailleNote, which accounts for 50 per cent of Pulse Data's annual turnover, is a hardware-software organiser, touted as a major breakthrough in its field.

Pulse Data has established a market niche with its wide range of hardware and software products for the visually impaired.

Mr Thompson said their products have improved the quality of life of visually impaired and blind people, helping them become more independent.

"Our BrailleNote and VoiceNote personal notetakers provide people who are blind with e-mail, word processing and data and time management capability.

"It means blind people can now achieve their potential in many fields, particularly business and education."

Pulse Data also have a SmartView video magnifier which allows partially blind people to look at photographs, read newspapers and books and view other information on a greatly enlarged scale.

They sell products to more than 30 countries, with exports generating 95 per cent of turnover. Major export markets are the USA, UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Norway and Australia.

With 128 staff, they have become recognised internationally as the most innovative technology company in their field.

A special guest at today's awards will be eight-year-old blind boy Blake Ison.

Pulse Data donated a BrailleNote to Blake in February and is filming his progress using this device over a 12-month period.

Pulse Data is also using Blake to tell them what he really likes and dislikes about the product.

Blake was born blind after his mother was exposed to the chemical benlate when she was pregnant, working in a plant nursery.

- NZPA

Pulse Data