ELECTRONIC learning company ThirdForce yesterday expanded its reach into TV, video and DVD with the acquisition of an educational production company.

ISEQ listed E-learning company Thirdforce said today they expect to move closer to profitability this year following its €15m acquisition of Electric Paper in March 2003.

The ISEQ was 155 points lower at 5,101 just after 11am, as the main banks slid about 1% and Ryanair slumped.

COMPUTER training company ThirdForce, whose share price has almost doubled over the past week, has said it is in talks to buy a related business. The company responded to unusual patterns of trading in its stock by telling the stock exchange yesterday that it was examining the possibility of acquiring an unnamed private company in a “complementary business”.

The Iseq closed at 5273.61 today down 23.48 points.

Irish company Electric Paper, part of ThirdForce plc, announced that it has begun roll-out of its computer-based training and testing solutions to 57 prisons across the UK.

ThirdForce plc's results to June 2003 indicate an increase in turnover of almost 20% to €3,977,573.

Following a successful pilot project earlier this year Irish e-learning company Electric Paper, has launched its International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL), courseware to Hong Kong secondary schools infor the 2004 term.

Rapid Technology, RTI, is in reverse takeover talks with Dublin e-learning company Electric Paper, according to reports.

Twenty-nine Irish companies have received places in the annual Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu European Technology Fast 500 Awards.

Twenty-nine Irish technology companies were ranked in the annual Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu European Technology Fast 500 Awards.

Electric Paper, international e-learning company Skillgate Parity Ltd and the Queensland Department of Families have received a top international award at the Institute of IT Training Awards 2002.