Micropower takes off after acquisitions

Club-focused integrated software group Micropower will begin aggressively pursuing opportunities in the Australian and international clubs market following a series of acquisitions and a major restructuring.

The new-look Micropower will be seeking to expand its dominant position in the golf club industry to other sectors after the acquisition of Micropower’s Queensland and New South Wales agents and a merger with popular online golf resource iseekgolf.com.

The restructuring, which was driven by Chief Executive Officer Tony Kent, also includes the appointment of experienced Brisbane businessman John Down as Chairman of the Board where he will join businessmen Richard Holzgrefe and Peter Jefferis. 

Micropower’s core business is providing member-based clubs integrated business solutions to improve operating efficiencies and drive revenues. Products include software and hardware solutions for back office, financial, membership, functions, online and marketing programmes. The unlisted public company offers a suite of more than 30 products and already has more than 300 clients around Australia.

The aggregation of the Micropower business under one brand combined with the acquisition of iseekgolf.com will create a vertically integrated solution for the business’ core golf club clients and provide the foundation for an aggressive expansion into other types of clubs and member-based organisations, including gaming, sporting and private clubs and marinas.

Combined the companies have more than 40 staff around Australia. Iseekgolf.com co-founders Steve Scott and Jason Savidge will continue to manage the iseekgolf.com business and also play a significant role in the new Micropower structure.

Micropower CEO Tony Kent said the new structure would provide Micropower with the right foundations to enter a new period of growth.

"We have the products, the people and the opportunity to grow Micropower significantly over the next few years… the size of the clubs market in Australia is quite large and we have only touched the surface so far," he said.

"We will also be looking to expand internationally and are already pursuing opportunities in New Zealand and Asia."

Mr Down is the former Managing Director and Chairman of Viking Industries which he established in 1998 and built into a leading industrial development business. Viking was acquired by a private equity group in early 2008. Mr Down was last year recognised as one of four Champions of Entrepreneurship by Ernst & Young as part of the annual Entrepreneur of the Year awards. 
He said the opportunity to guide the businesses over coming years was one of the major reasons for taking on the role of Chairman.  "Micropower has all the ingredients to be extremely successful over the long term. The business has the basic target market with world class products to tap global opportunities," he said.  "Hopefully I can bring some experience and knowledge to help the business grow into a serious Australian-based multinational."  Prior to creating Viking Industries Mr Down spent three years as Co-ordinator general in the Queensland Government under premier Wayne Goss and has also served as trade envoy for Queensland. 

He also served three terms of the Board of Austrade and three terms on the Board of the Export Finance Insurance Corporation. He has also held public and private company directorships.

Mr Down established his business credentials when he teamed up in 1970 with two associates and formed an international agribusiness with subsidiaries in international agricultural consulting, commodity trading in meat and livestock and pastoral holdings depasturing in excess of 300,000 head of cattle.
 
Over 25 years the GRM group of companies grew consistently and eventually operated across 60 countries. The business was sold to Consolidated Pastoral Holdings in 1992. 

Media enquiries to Ben Ready on 0415 743 838.