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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| BSkyB agrees £125m Amstrad deal | BSkyB agrees £125m Amstrad deal |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Broadcaster BSkyB has struck a deal to buy television set-top box maker Amstrad for about £125m. | Broadcaster BSkyB has struck a deal to buy television set-top box maker Amstrad for about £125m. |
| Amstrad, which was founded by the star of BBC1's The Apprentice, Sir Alan Sugar, supplies about 30% of the set-top box devices for Sky. | Amstrad, which was founded by the star of BBC1's The Apprentice, Sir Alan Sugar, supplies about 30% of the set-top box devices for Sky. |
| Orders from the broadcaster made up about 75% of Amstrad's sales in the year to the end of June. | Orders from the broadcaster made up about 75% of Amstrad's sales in the year to the end of June. |
| Sky said that the deal meant they could now design their products in-house and be more innovative. | Sky said that the deal meant they could now design their products in-house and be more innovative. |
| 'Entrepreneurial spirit' | 'Entrepreneurial spirit' |
| Sir Alan, who is Amstrad's chairman and chief executive and owns 28% of the firm, said the two companies had worked together for a long time. | |
| "I cannot imagine a better home for the Amstrad business and its talented people," he said. | "I cannot imagine a better home for the Amstrad business and its talented people," he said. |
| "Our companies share the entrepreneurial spirit of bringing innovation to the largest number of customers. | "Our companies share the entrepreneurial spirit of bringing innovation to the largest number of customers. |
| "Sky is a great British success story. I'm proud to have worked so closely with it, and I look forward to continuing to play a part in this exciting business." | "Sky is a great British success story. I'm proud to have worked so closely with it, and I look forward to continuing to play a part in this exciting business." |
| BSkyB said the deal would "significantly" reduce costs in its supply chain. | |
| Sir Alan and James Murdoch are happy with the deal | |
| Buying Amstrad would give it "improved control over product design and specification and enhanced flexibility to deliver continual improvements in product quality", it added. | |
| "It will help us to drive innovation and efficiency for the benefit of our customers," chief executive James Murdoch said. | |
| Other innovations | Other innovations |
| Founded by Sir Alan as an electrical goods retailer in 1968, Amstrad listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1980. | Founded by Sir Alan as an electrical goods retailer in 1968, Amstrad listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1980. |
| In the mid-1980s it launched the first home computer package aimed at the mass market and was Sky's first supplier when the broadcaster launched in 1988. | In the mid-1980s it launched the first home computer package aimed at the mass market and was Sky's first supplier when the broadcaster launched in 1988. |
| Besides set-top boxes, recent products have included the E3 videophone. | Besides set-top boxes, recent products have included the E3 videophone. |
| This followed on from the E-mailer phone, which allowed e-mail, internet, pictures and video calls but did not find massive commercial success. | This followed on from the E-mailer phone, which allowed e-mail, internet, pictures and video calls but did not find massive commercial success. |