Dubai-based Belden Cable Design Technologies (CDT), has partnered with local distributor Datanet, to sell and distribute its structured cabling system.
The partnership will give Belden access to the African, and specifically South African market, the vendor says. All components and cables used in the structured cabling system are manufactured by Belden, it says.
This is Belden`s initial attempt to enter the South African market, and will be subject to a flexible strategy at first, says Tariq Shaikh, regional director, Belden CDT, EMEA.
The company will allow two to three months to assess how the structured cabling system performs in SA before stationing a full-time representative in the country, Shaikh says.
However, Datanet will control and handle the distribution exclusively, says Terry Kelly, CEO, Datanet. "We are aiming at the top-end of the market with a high-end product," he says.
"We don`t want it to become a commoditised product," says Shaikh, "we want it to be controlled and sold through a carefully selected channel."
Local training
"The product requires skill to design, install and certify so training is critical," Kelly stresses. "Because of the emphasis placed on installation training, it is offered free."
Richard Caron, technical manager for Belden, is in SA this month, providing week-long training workshops for installers in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Belden and Datanet aim to establish a cable installers association, which they hope will help to involve black economic empowered small and medium enterprises in the venture. These companies will operate as Southern African sub-contractors.
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