American producer of Braille printers ViewPlus to establish in Venlo

The American company ViewPlus is to set up a branch in Venlo. The company develops and produces printers and related software to print out texts and pictures in Braille. The development of a technique to enable graphs and pictures to be printed in relief is particularly innovative. Blind and visually impaired people can now "read" drawings on ordinary paper. ViewPlus has taken out a worldwide patent on the machinery. 

ViewPlus plans to reach the European market from the LIOF Business Center in Venlo by developing a dealer network. They will also set up a training centre and an R&D department in the building. The first phase will provide jobs for 7 - 10 people. 

Ideal home base
"Venlo is an ideal base from which to reach our market," says Jeff Gardner, CEO of ViewPlus. "Our customers are relatively close at hand and here in the region we can find sufficient highly skilled people. We are constantly working to improve our software. Our people always provide thorough training to the dealers when the machinery is delivered and installed. If one of our European customers has a problem, we can now respond more quickly. It seems logical to carryout all these services from one location."

NV Industriebank LIOF played a key part in the choice of Venlo as location. "In the summer of 2008, ViewPlus contacted us via the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency," says a LIOF spokesperson. "ViewPlus was looking for a location with an international feeling and a building with opportunities for future expansion. The presence of printer manufacturers Océ and Xerox nearby is also a factor. It may be possible to work together in certain areas."

Growth possibilities
ViewPlus was set up in 1996 by John Gardner. The physicist became blind as a result of complications following an eye operation. He decided to develop aids for the visually impaired. He built up the company to more than 50 employees, with customers not only in America, but internationally. In 2006 his son Jeff took over the business. He expects that this new operation will enable the company to expand in Europe. "We already have longstanding customers in Germany and the Benelux area," explains Jeff Gardner. "Italy, Scandinavia and Poland will now follow. We can see a huge market for our products. Our printers enable students and employees to continue to carry out their (technical) training and employment - and with no extra costs."

Source: LIOF press release, 12 March 2009