MicronPC buyer steps up

Gores Technology Group announced Tuesday that it has signed a definitive agreement to buy the PC division of Micron Electronics Inc., which includes Micron Government Computer Systems Inc.

Under the ownership of GTG, Micron's PC operations — which provide computer products and services for small- and medium-size businesses and the government, education and consumer markets — will be called MicronPC.

Micron's government division will continue to operate from its facilities in Idaho, and its management team will remain intact, said Harry Heisler, vice president and general manager of Micron Government Computer Systems.

"For us, it means the support of a very smart parent company with substantial staying power," Heisler said. "We were orphaned and now we've been adopted."

Heisler said he wished the best of luck to former owner Micron Electronics in its attempt to become a premier "pure-play, Web-hosting enterprise" through its HostPro offerings. "I'm glad they came to a conclusion, but I'm sorry it took so long," he said.

Heisler said that under GTG, Micron's government customers will benefit from increased attention to "unique product and service offerings."

"We want to keep our No. 1 customer satisfied before we go out looking for other [business]," he said. "We're going to leverage what we're doing in government for other target markets. I believe the government is going to win."

Los Angeles-based GTG, which specializes in acquiring high-tech organizations and managing them for growth and profitability, has acquired about 35 interrelated but autonomous technology-oriented companies that have annual revenues of more than $2 billion. GTG currently controls about 20 of those companies.

Vance Diggins, chief executive officer of GTG, said there are challenges ahead, but "MicronPC's strength in the government, small and medium business, and retail direct segments, along with their industry-leading execution of the direct model...in manufacturing and supply-chain management provide significant opportunities for growth."