Gail Leach Carvelli
The Dracon Division of the Harris Corp. (Camarillo, CA) is now known as Harris Network Support Systems. The name change, according to Terry Shafer, director of marketing, reflects the growing diversity of the division`s business operations. However, Dracon will be retained as a product brand name.
"Network Support Systems lets our customers get a better idea of what we do," says Shafer, "but the Dracon name is important because it is associated with some of our products -- butt-in sets and tools. Those products have built up our reputation and the value of the Dracon name."
Dracon started as an independent company in 1952 and moved into the telephony arena five years later. Harris acquired the company in 1980 and made it part of its communications division.
The product line`s evolution prompted the name change, says Shafer. "Over the last 5 to 10 years, we`ve expanded our line to [include] testing and monitoring products, as well as a number of other goods," she explains. "We needed a name to reflect our growth."
The product line includes portable test equipment, wireless and wireline information access and processing systems, advanced telecommunications management network technologies, and loop, remote site-management and operational support systems. Other services are records verification and correction, monitoring and mediation systems, communication test sets and tools, cellular testing products and cellular site-management systems.
Within the past year, the division has added a cellular telecommunications line and local area network testing products. It also acquired Carolina-based Micro Computer Systems Inc. and formed an alliance with Psiber Data Systems Inc., La Mesa, CA.
Thomas J. Erdmann, vice president and general manager of the renamed division, says the change will solidify its role in the evolving telecommunications industry. "Moving forward, the division aligns itself to support the global communications community by emphasizing solutions focused on advanced telecommunications network products and systems," he says.
The company is headquartered in California, with division offices in North Carolina, Texas, Ontario, England, Mexico, India, Hong Kong, Thailand, Brazil and South Africa.