In a move to re-focus and to revitalise its Apple Macintosh business, Pretoria-based technology company Centro Electronics, the largest Apple Macintosh reseller in the greater Pretoria area, has merged with FTW Technologies.
The merger was effective 1 May.
Alex van Rooyen, a former manager at Centro Electronics, says the new company will be split into two separate companies and will operate under the umbrella trading name of Apple Centre Centurion.
In terms of the merger, Van Rooyen has taken up the position of MD of Apple Centre Centurion, while Jan Roos was named as MD of IT Systems Centre, established as the maintenance and service arm of the new entity.
Reynier van Rooyen, formerly MD of Centro Electronics, has left the company to form a software development house, Hive Software.
Alex van Rooyen says all staff members of the former Centro Electronics have been retained.
"With the formation of IT Systems Centre under the overall Apple Centre Centurion - which is effectively the trading name of the group - we will be able to separate the various disciplines that used to operate under Centro Electronics."
This finer focus is expected to increase overall efficiencies.
Apple Centre Centurion will solely focus on sales and marketing - and will shortly be kick-starting a new corporate identity and marketing campaign - while all technical issues will be handled by IT Systems Centre.
In addition, besides the refocusing of disciplines under two MDs, the new group will have the added benefit of being able to obtain bespoke software for its client base via Hive Systems - which will operate as a close associate company.
Van Rooyen says this is part of the group`s plan to diversify into the software and services marketplace.
He adds that the company is not looking for massive growth during the next three years, but is instead aiming to increase its current annual turnover of R7 million by 10% per annum.
"We are looking to spend the next three years building up our client base, as well as introducing products and services that we view as complementary or as value-adds to our clients, including Web and database hosting and design and the provision of specialised software such as knowledge management and e-business solutions. We also want to further entrench our position as the largest Apple computer supplier in the greater Pretoria area and slowly expand this reach further into the Johannesburg area."
Looking further ahead, Van Rooyen says that although the company is initially planning "modest growth", once "a number of key factors are put in place" the company intends beefing up to seek a listing on the JSE Securities Exchange. "But this is only planned for in about five or six years` time," he said.
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