Distribution company Axiz is re-branding, which will see some product names being dropped.
It has redesigned its logo and will drop brand names like Kalibah, Jixo and Alica, which will now be replaced with the Axiz brand.
CEO Anthony Fitzhenry says the changes are aimed at increasing the company`s brand presence, as the company looks at increasing more local content in all of its products.
"Re-branding is more than just a change of image, but also about modifying your company strategy," he says.
According to Fitzhenry, only about 15% of the content in Axiz`s brand products is local and the company is looking at growing this. However, the rate of growth will depend on how fast local technology develops.
"We are expanding quickly as a company and although we do have presence in Namibia and Botswana, we are looking at capturing the rest of the SADC region and moving further north before that market is taken by India and China," he says.
Setting up an effective service and support structure in the region is also on the cards.
Fitzhenry says Axiz will continue to be an in-company infrastructure distributor, but it will also start focusing more on communication technologies in future.
Axiz`s new strategy includes growing the level of its black economic empowerment (BEE) employee ownership. "We view the market in SA as moving towards a more inclusive management style. The company`s target is to be 60% empowered at all levels, with 50% of the BEE complement women," he notes.
Fitzhenry is confident Axiz is destined to become a pan-African distributor. The company has R1.8 billion revenue, with a 30% year-on-year growth rate and 450 employees.
Its strategy will be to buy into existing companies in the respective countries that it invests in, so as to save time and initial expenditure on infrastructure and market intelligence.
Fitzhenry says the company has launched a Ledibogo programme to develop skills both in-house and for its reseller channel.
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