In the face of heavy competition from Japanese laptops, Zenith Data was not profitable last year.

Zenith Data had 1989 revenues of $1.4 billion.

Zenith Data is now distributed nationally by the Compucom computer chain.

Zenith Data also introduced two new notebook computers, which essentially match the best features of the competition at very competitive prices.

These new models once again put Zenith Data in the vanguard.

Zenith Data, for example, was among the first companies to make "upgradability" a key feature of its systems.

The Air Force agreed to reopen the competition, and Zenith Data won.

Zenith Data faces the challenges of the economy as well as the competition.

Zenith Data is still more widely known for its portables, which fight in one of the most competitive arenas in the complicated computer industry.

Zenith Data had $900 million in sales last year, with 55 percent of the total in Europe.