18 Jul 2013

Jade hopes to double US port business

8:31 am on 18 July 2013

Jade Software is hoping to double its business with US ports after winning another contract.

The Christchurch-based software company makes a system called Master Terminal, designed specifically for ports moving different types of cargo. The product won its first US client in January and now has a total of six.

Jade managing director David Lindsay says the US offers huge potential, though there are challenges.

He says the company does not see large demand for its product coming from those ports which are highly unionised but there is growth potential in the smaller mixed cargo ports that either employ their own unionised labour or aren't unionised.

"If I was to look at the US alone, we see that market probably doubling over the next 12 months, so we see the ability of moving from six to 12 or 15."

Mr Lindsay says the company sees a lot of growth still coming out of the Middle East and that market is currently growing by more than 20%.

He says Jade Software is also looking at new markets such as in the African continent where there are a large number of ports that manage both containers and general cargo.

Mr Lindsay says Jade is hoping to secure its first African customers in the next few months.

Jade's port software business makes up just over a quarter of its total revenues but Mr Lindsay believes it will become a substantial part of revenues over the next three years.