Bytes targets Angola, Zimbabwe

Bytes Document Solutions, a division of Bytes Technology, expects the demand for Xerox printing facilities in Angola and Zimbabwe to increase, as the two countries' economies recover.

Rabin Ram, MD of the Xerox division at Bytes Document Solutions, said on Friday (18 February 2011) that although SA would remain the top market in Africa, "the growing Angola and the recovering Zimbabwe" were both attractive.

The west and east African regions were also growing steadily, he said.

"But there is no doubt the logistical and fulfilment challenges remain in place. As regards verticals, financial institutions and public authorities are priority customers," Mr Ram said.

Bytes Document Solutions recently renewed its exclusive contract - for 10 years - as a distributor of Xerox products in sub-Saharan Africa.

This agreement enables Bytes Document Solutions to continue to market and distribute the complete range of Xerox equipment, software solutions and services in SA and 26 other sub-Saharan countries.

Bytes Document Solutions' revenue for the year to February last year was R1,8bn. The office document technology market in Europe, the Middle East and Africa was about $54bn, of which SA had about 3%, Mr Ram said.

According to Bytes, Forrester Research pegs the full cost of printing between 1% and 3% of a company's annual revenue.

Despite growth in electronic communications, Bytes said printing facilities were still widely used and the demand was expected to remain. "There is no decline at all in investment in document technology. Rather, there is smarter spending," Mr Ram said.

Bytes Document Solutions first signed its distribution contract with Xerox in 1987.

Source: Business Day