Shareholders in Rapid Technology may have to wait a little longer to see the company hit the big time.

This week its chairman Mr Patrick McDonagh admitted that "building our revenue has been slower than expected" and told shareholders that some US customers have been slow to sign up for Rapid's leading edge screen key technology on a permanent basis.

The company's share price on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in London has been slipping back in recent months, from a high of 95 1/2p to 83 1/2p over the last week.

However, the company is seeking to sign contracts with some of the larger multiples in Europe and the US and this will be crucial if profits are to increase significantly.

Its annual results released this week show that a lot of money has been spent establishing a base in the US. The question now is can the company use this to increase its market share?

It probably can, but shareholders will have to be patient. Even if a large multiple is interested in Rapid's keyboard products, it will want to test them on a pilot basis first and this can take up to a year in some cases.

Only after this test period ends is a large retailer likely to place a significant order. The kind of order which would send Rapid into the big time.

However, the company's chairman knows something about breaking into the US market and reaping rich rewards. Mr McDonagh of course founded CBT in 1983.