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Blytheco Expands Lineup Beyond Sage Software

The biggest reseller of Sage business software has begun selling products from additional business-software makers.

Laguna Hills-based Blytheco LLC previously sold products only from Sage North America, an Irvine-based unit of Sage Group PLC in Britain.

“We’ve been looking for additional [enterprise-resource management] and CRM product lines to fill the gaps in the Sage portfolio,” Chief Executive Stephen Blythe said.

The company recently began selling about 15 products from Cupertino-based SugarCRM Inc. that help businesses find sales prospects, reach key executives, and share sales information and contacts.

Blythe built his business around selling enterprise-resource management software, which integrates data on development, manufacturing, inventory, sales and marketing operations.

The company expanded into the area of customer-relations management about six years ago. The segment accounted for about 15% of Blytheco’s $25 million in revenue in 2011, up 10% from a year earlier.

“We want to make it clear to 50% of business in the next couple of years,” Blythe said.

The global market for customer-relations management saw $9.2 billion in sales last year, according to Framingham, Mass.-based IDC Corp. Blytheco has been a leading seller of Sage software since its inception 32 years ago.

Sage saw sales in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean climb 3% to more than $629 million for the 12-month period that ended Sept. 30, breaking a two-year sales slump.

Picture Perfect

San Clemente-based photo-imaging and equipment-parts supplier Liberty Synergistics Inc. has launched a new unit that allows users to add photos to a range of products online or through a mobile application.

Ivoke Inc.’s service, branded as ivokeMOBILE, is accessed through third-party business partners and allows consumers to take their photos and recreate them on print, wall décors and mobile accessories, as well as mugs, key chains, apparel and other merchandise.

“We’re allowing that app to have a whole new revenue stream,” President and Chief Operating Officer Garry Green said.

The technology debuted in January at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Executives launched the new business to tap into the growing app and customization market fueled by rising smart phone and tablet sales. Photos can be personalized on more than 900 products.

Under the business model, Ivoke gets a portion of each sale made through other businesses.

Liberty, which was established 25 years ago, is financing the new company.

Liberty sees annual sales of more than $20 million and supplies products and parts to Walgreens, CVS, professional photo labs, grocers and thousands of other retailers.

Export Controls

DDi Corp. Chief Executive Mikel Williams recently testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs to push export-disclosure reforms.

Williams, speaking on behalf of the International Printed Circuit-Association Connecting Electronics Industries in Bannockburn, Ill., highlighted the importance of U.S. export controls on printed circuit boards designed for sensitive military technologies.

“The current system is complex, bureaucratic, and does not adequately protect our national security nor facilitate the export opportunities we need to grow our economy,” said Williams, who serves as chairman of the IPC government relations committee.

He took issue with current reporting standards, which do not explicitly list printed circuit boards on the U.S. Munitions List.

That causes confusion in the defense industry on export controls for boards and designs, and could lead to the release of technical specifications related to military equipment and intellectual property, he added.

Items on the list carry special designations, trading requirements and prohibitions. In some cases information on the technology and manufacturing of items is not disclosed to the public.

The federal and state commerce departments are weighing proposed export-disclosure reforms.

Anaheim-based DDi makes circuit boards that later are assembled with chips. The boards go inside equipment for aerospace, military, industrial, medical, networking and communication uses.

About a third of DDi’s business is in aerospace and defense.

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