milestones
What Altron has achieved . . .
Altron consistently grows shareholders’ value through its commitment to sustain its compound annual growth rates in terms of revenue, operating profit and headline earnings per share. Some historical corporate activity highlights since 2000 include:
2010
Xerox, Bytes renew exclusive distributorship for next 10 years
The 2011 Financial Mail/Empowerdex Top Empowered Companies survey
confirms the excellent progress that Altron has made towards its
transformation targets.
- Altron ranked 25th most empowered company in South Africa, improving from 34th in 2010
- Altron ranked 2nd in the General Industrial category
- Altron ranked 10th overall in terms of Employment Equity
- Altron placed 5th with regards to Enterprise Development
Powertech announced its entry into the switchgear market with two
products in the 11kV Air Insulated Medium Voltage range
Altech Improves Empowerment Ratings: FM/Empowerdex survey ranked Altech
as the fifth most empowered company in the ICT sector in South Africa.
The company is also ranked second in the Top 10 companies list in terms
of its skills development. Within the top 100 most empowered companies,
Altech improved its overall ranking to 42 from last year
Altech announced the acquisition of 100% of the equity in Swist
Technology Solutions (Pty) Ltd (Swisttech)
Xerox has acquires the assets of WaterWare Internet Services.
NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) and Bytes Technology Group (Bytes),
announces the extension of a five-year agreement that will enable Bytes
to offer a much wider range of innovative NCR solutions to its customers
in South Africa and its neighboring countries.
Bytes Document Solutions, the authorised Xerox distributor to 27 African
countries, has been noted as one of the most empowered office automation
companies in South Africa, after being audited by Empowerdex, an
accredited verification agency.The company has improved its BEE status
from a Level 3 to a Level 2 Contributor, as well as being a Value-Adding
Enterprise.
2009
Altech announces 25% Black Economic Empowerment deal: Altech announced a
25% + 1 share Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) transaction in relation
to three of its subsidiaries, Altech Netstar, Comtech and Altech Netstar
Fleet Solutions. - December 09
Altron ranked the 17th best company in South Africa regarding its carbon
footprinting initiative and reporting - November 09
Altech in one of South Africa’s Top 500 companies. - October 09
The Altech Academy becomes the first corporate university in the local
ICT industry to have its higher education training programmes accredited
by the Information Systems Electronics and Telecommunications
Technologies (ISETT) Seta and Department of Labour. - October 09
Powertech Transformers expands BEE shareholding and restructures
transformer business: Power Matla, chaired by Solly Moloko, takes a 20%
equity in the combined Powertech Transformers and Desta Power Matla
operations. - September 09
Bytes Systems Integration awarded the 2009 South African Manufacturing
Execution Systems (MES) Competitive Strategy award by Frost & Sullivan,
an international consulting and research company. - September 09
Altech and Seacom announce strategic bandwidth alliance -
September 09
Dr Bill Venter receives the “Legend in ICT Award” which was presented by
the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) during the GovTech 2009
Conference - September 09
Altech’s Kenya Data Networks lays 1500kms of fibre between Mombasa and
Kampala - August 09
Altech’s KDN acquires 8.5% stake in The East Africa Marine System
Limited (TEAMS): for an amount of USD 11 million. - August 09
Dr Bill Venter, founder and Chairman, celebrates his 75th birthday and
launches his autobiography, In pursuit of a dream “Bill Venter and the
Altron story”. - July 09
Bytes Outsource Services has clinched a three-year R100 million contract
to manage and operate Neotel’s customer care contact centre. - June 09
Intelleca named Genesys partner of the year - June 09
Bytes Document Solutions upgrades its support structure and presence in
Zimbabwe by appointing Document Support Centre as its exclusive
distributor in our neighboring country. - June 09
Altech acquires Technology Concepts an internet service provider (ISP)
and information technology company. - April 09
Altron ranked number one company in the General Industrials sector
and number 32 overall in South Africa in the FM/Empowerdex Top 200
Empowerment Companies ratings for 2009. This positions the company as a
level 4 contributor. - April 09
Bill Venter recognised as SA’s Mr Technology by government and industry
for his significant contribution to technology over the past 45 years. -
February 09
Altech awarded landmark electronic communications network service (I-ECNS)
and electronic communications service (I-ECS) licences - January 09
Bytes Document Solutions announced “Partner of the Year” and wins
“Productivity Through Partnerships” award at the XEROX Middle East and
Africa Operations Conference held in Dubai. - January 09
2008
Acquisition by Powertech of the electrical engineering operations of the
IST group for
R504 million, effective 1 September 2007;
Acquisition by Altron of the minority shareholders in Bytes Technology
Group Limited for R1.4 billion. Bytes was de-listed from the JSE Limited
on 15 January 2008;
Acquisition by Altech of ComTech for R53 million, effective 1 January
2008;
Purchase by Altron of an additional 3.7% of Altech for R187 million at
an average price of R52.14 per share during February 2008, thereby
increasing its stake in Altech to 62%;
Acquisition by Powertech of the 25% minority in Cables de Comunicaciones
Zaragoza, effective 1 August 2007 for €8 million;
Acquisition by Powertech of Swanib Cables for R43 million, effective 1
March 2007.
Acquisition by Altech of 51% of the Sameer ICT group in Kenya for
maximum consideration of US$75 million, effective 1 March 2008;
Acquisition by Powertech of the 50% stake it did not own in ABB
Powertech Transformers from ABB for R320 million, effective 1 April
2008;
Disposal by Powertech of Yelland Control to Omron Europe for R65
million, effective
1 April 2008.
Acquisition by Bytes of Intelleca – 17 June 2008
Acquisition by Bytes of Nor Paper – 9 July 2008
Altech Autopage Cellular and Neotel sign distribution agreement – 27
August 2008
The Pretoria High Court rules in favour of Altech Autopage Cellular to
the entitlement of an individual electronic communications network
service (I-ECNS) license, enabling the group’s telecommunications
subsidiary to develop and operate its own telecommunications network –
29 August 2008
2006/2007
Altech purchases French-based MobiMaster.
Bytes purchases UK-based Vantage Business Systems and Xclusive Solutions.
Market capitalisation exceeds R7 billion in 2006 and R14 billion in 2007.
Formation of telecoms cable JV with Reunert.
2005
Powertech purchases Calidus, a manufacturer and supplier of electrical insulation material, and signs a new 10 year agreement with Von Roll Isola.
Altron's 11 800 employees celebrate the group's 40th anniversary with an increase in revenue of 22% to R12.2 billion and operating profit of 34% to R963 million. Market capitalisation reaches R5 billion.
Vodacom and MTN sign long-term agreements with Altech for Altech Autopage Cellular to act as an independant service provider for a minimum of five years.
2004
Altech concludes a BBBEE transaction with their chosen empowerment partner Pamodzi; Powertech finalises a BBBEE transaction with Izingwe in Aberdare Cables and Bytes completes a transaction with Kagiso as a BBBEE partner in Bytes SA.
Altech aquires NamiTech, a manufacturer of smart cards, prepaid vouchers and a mobile solutions provider.
Bytes purchases CS Holdings as well as 50% of Xerox SA from Xerox International to move to 100% ownership and rebrands Xerox SA as Bytes Document Solutions.
2002/2003
Altech Card Solutions (ACS) acquires Cardtronics.
Altech sells its 40% stake in Alcatel Altech Telecoms for R335 million.
Altech is judged top ICT company in South Africa.
2001
Xerox SA secures the exclusive sub-Saharan distributorship for Xerox products.
Powertech's shareholding of 30% in Voltex distribution is sold for R130 million to Bidvest.
2000
Powertech acquires Cables de Comunicaciones SL, a leading Spanish telecommunications cable manufacturer.
USKO is rebranded as Bytes Technology Group Limited (Bytes) and the IT interests of Fintech are purchased by Bytes to consolidate the group's IT under Bytes.
Two leading healthcare IT companies, PQ Africa's QEDI and Bytes' MediSwitch in the medical claims forwarding industry, merge to form an internet healthcare and e-commerce partnership in the form of Digital Healthcare Solutions.
