A local motherboard supplier is changing its name from American
Predator to one that sounds less warlike before launching a global
growth strategy.
Morgan Hill – A local motherboard supplier is changing its name from American Predator to one that sounds less warlike before launching a global growth strategy.
The Morgan Hill-based company will officially switch its name to Corvalent Corporation this week, a name that combines its new global focus and use of Intel Corp.’s Core Duo processors.
Given America’s damaged reputation abroad as the U.S. military continues its presence in the Middle East, the word “predator” could be a liability in some European markets, said Vice President of Business Development Tom Krueger.
“We wanted a name that would help us with a global growth strategy,” Krueger said. “But we’re proud to be an American company and a U.S. manufacturer and we’re going to continue that.”
The company will keep its red, white and blue colors but drop its American eagle logo.
Under the new name, the company hopes to delve into European high-speed train systems and telecommunications markets.
Founded in 1993, American Predator manufactures and sells computer innards for factory applications, casino slot machines, medical devices and other uses. The equipment is designed to meet industrial specifications and go through shocks and vibrations.
About 30 percent of American Predator’s sales of single-board computers and embedded controllers come from military markets. It has about 50 employees and pulled $20 million in sales last year.
“We’ve been steadily growing since 9-11,” Krueger said. “With the new name and growth strategy, we plan on growing further.”
Krueger added while the company has only a handful of customers overseas, it would like to see 15 or 20 percent of its sales take place internationally within the next couple years.
“It involves new partnerships, moving from being a motherboard-level provider to offering custom solutions,” he said. “We’re expanding the scope of our capabilities to include turnkey solutions … it works right out of the box.”
American Predator is an affiliate member of the Intel Communications Alliance, a network of hardware developers using Intel chips.
Krueger, himself, is an Intel veteran, having joined American Predator in January after holding various strategic and customer-management roles with the chip-maker. His experience and wealth of contacts come at a pivotal time in American Predator’s growth, said president and CEO Ed Trevis.
In addition to its budding global strategy, the company recently opened an office in Portland, Ore., to serve the Pacific Northwest.
