Netpro appointed exclusive distributor for activePDF

Pune-based Netpro Technologies has been appointed as the exclusive national distributor for activePDF. Netpro will offer
activePDF products both through direct as well as indirect channels. activePDF is a company offering
server-side PDF development and conversion tools for Windows NT, XP and 2000 platform and marketing it under the same name.

Established four months ago, Netpro is aggressively looking for partners across the country for this
product and hopes to establish a network of about 30 partners by March-end. 

Says KR Venkataraman, Director-International Marketing, Netpro Technologies, "Lot of partners have already shown
interest in dealing with activePDF and within a month's time we should have a good network in place." 

According to Venkataraman, Netpro's focus presently would be to evangelize the product among the partners and end-users.
"We are not looking at actual sales for the time being, as being a new product, awareness about activePDF
is quite low. Ourmain aim is to first convince the partners about the product and the underlying value proposition that we have to offer."

activePDF is a PDF generating and conversion tool, quite like the Adobe Distiller. However, it is priced much less than the
Distiller. "Estimated end-user price of activePDf for one server license with unlimited client
usage would be Rs 68,000, which is nearly one-fifth the cost of Adobe Distiller," says Venkatraman. He adds that the partners would easily be able
to earn a margin of about 20% on activePDF. 

Says TN Sundar, CMD, Netpro Technologies, "Because of the per-server licensing structure, with no peruser or
per-document fees, activePDF provides products with robust functionality at a fraction of the cost of
comparable systems, and we are confident of its success in the Indian market." Speaking on his outlook for activePDF's business in the country,
Tim Sullivan, CEO, activePDF states, "India has long been a market that we' ve wanted to develop, and now, via this new
sales channel, we can actively promote and market our products and increase sales in this territory." 

Netpro would also be soon offering 'Altiris' a software life-cycle management and is even developing a software application
for call-centers called 'Tentacle'. 

GOLDIE