GANDER Investing

Potential investors are being sought from the public and private sectors. The company is offering an exciting opportunity to invest in a new venture which combines the latest advances in space micro-technology with a strong market need. There are also potential synergies with the growing global positioning and satellite telecommunications markets.

It is estimated that GANDER could achieve a five per cent penetration of the commercial and leisure marine industry within 5 years, divided between shipping, offshore oil and gas operations, fishing fleets, passenger ships and the leisure market. The latter represents over 30 million boats worldwide. Substantial sales to the world's navies are also forecast.

Extensive discussions and market research have been carried out in all sectors of the shipping industry, as well as with the US and Royal Navies, coastguards and the oil industry.

Additional sales are also expected to the public sector, including the world's meteorological organisations and navies.

A pricing structure will be drawn up to establish a competitive entry price for early purchasers in order to achieve rapid market penetration.

As an example of pricing, a major shipping line might be expected to pay some six per cent of its existing insurance premiums as GANDER fees. Rates for the leisure market would be substantially lower, although the market size is much larger.

GANDER's mission is not only to become a profitable commercial venture providing accurate safety information at sea, but also to save the lives of many thousands of people, reduce pollution from shipwrecks and dramatically improve the accuracy of weather forecasting.

The project has been divided into four phases:

• Phase I: Technical study. SOS will define the data processing and production software as well as its costs. SSTL will identify and if necessary redesign an altimeter suitable for a microsat.

• Phase II: Instrumentation design and production/prototype launch. Expected timescale one year. A fully functional GANDER satellite will be built, launched and commissioned.

• Phase III: Further satellite production and launch, initial sales. Expected timescale one year.

• Phase IV: Sales build up and movement into profitability.