I-CSS acquires Moloko ERS bench repair business

Independent Computer Support Services (I-CSS), a subsidiary of the MICT Solutions Group, has acquired the bench repair portion of Moloko ERS` business for an undisclosed sum.

According Peter Strydom, managing director of I-CSS, this acquisition makes the company the undisputed leader in the bench repair business in SA.

With this buy-out, the company is strengthening its base throughout the country and will now have fully equipped repair facilities in all the major centres. Strydom said: "We will ensure that all the skills residing in Moloko ERS will be retained by appointing all strategic staff into I-CSS."

I-CSS provides authorised bench repair services for Fujitsu-Siemens, LG and HP, and has recently announced that BenQ has appointed the company as authorised service provider for the whole of SA.

The Moloko ERS acquisition now brings Samsung, Sony, Epson and Packard Bell NEC into the fold. I-CSS is responsible for carry-in repairs for products both in and out of warranty for all the above OEMs.

"Customers are assured of the highest quality service, meeting with the manufacturer`s strict requirements and only OEM approved parts are used in repairs," commented Strydom.

"This was a strategic acquisition to increase our market share and integrate and grow the OEMs already on board."

The combined I-CSS and Moloko ERS operations will move into new custom-built premises in Cape Town in the near future. All other staff will be integrated into existing I-CSS facilities in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein. Strydom said the acquisition of the bench repair business from Moloko ERS, the second largest supplier of bench repair services in SA, is the first step in the planned growth of the I-CSS business.

The company is also working on expanding the business into the more remote areas of the country through the I-CSS Partner Assist programme. This is an initiative aimed at increasing the I-CSS footprint while at the same time uplifting small businesses in the break-fix environment. This initiative is part of the company`s commitment to empower small operators by providing them with a broader platform to become role players in the mainstream of the South African economy. The next step will be expansion into the rest of Africa, offering similar services to OEMs and customers on the rest of the continent.