US software company Powersoft yesterday set up a joint venture with Pacific Technology of Hong Kong, in order to market and service its Powerbuilder product in Hong Kong and China. Powerbuilder is a leading client/ server development package, with more than 13,400 licensed copies sold to more than 2,600 organisations. The product is a tool designed for programmers writing software for big personal computer networks. In Hong Kong, the product is being used by Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), the Hospital Authority and Warner Music, while in the US, early users include American Airlines, Walt Disney Productions and Pepsi. Powersoft chairman Mitchell Kertzman, in Hong Kong for the announcement as part of an Asia-Pacific tour, described the venture as one of Powersoft's moves to become a truely global company, while at the same time supporting existing users locally. ''Powersoft is committed to providing enhanced support for all its users in the Asia-Pacific region,'' Mr Kertzman said. ''At a later stage, the company will establish an Asian headquarters to co-ordinate all marketing and support activities in the region.'' Powersoft, which originally produced manufacturing software, began developing Powerbuilder in late 1988, and released it in 1991. The company has seen revenues rise from US$55,000 in 1990 to $21.2 million in 1992, while analysts predict 1993 revenues to be around $42.45 million. After the success of Powerbuilder, Mr Kertzman decided to sell the software company in order to concentrate on a development-tools operation, which went public in 1992, and saw its share price almost double on the first day of trading.
