Datatec Stock

Datatec Limited operates as an international networking and IT services company in Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Middle East and the Asia Pacific region. The company’s main lines of business comprise the global distribution of improved networking and communication convergence products (Westcon), infrastructure solutions and IT network integration (Logicalis) and strategic telecommunications consulting (Mason). The company also has interests in its wholly owned subsidiaries Westcon AME (operating in Africa) and Online Distribution (operating in the Middle East) and an 84% interest in RangeGate (operating in S.A. and the U.K.).

The company operates in three principal lines of business: Westcon Group, Inc. (Westcon), Logicalis Group (Logicalis), and Mason Group Limited (Mason), as well as the operations of Westcon AME, Online Distribution and RangeGate S.A. and U.K.

Westcon

Westcon operates as a global distributor of networking and communications equipment operating in North and South America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Westcon is a sales and marketing channel for major vendors of networking technology specializing in the security, convergence and IP device technology sectors. Its primary vendors are Cisco Systems, Nortel Networks, and Avaya Communications.

Westcon provides a full line of connectivity solutions including products and services for convergence technology, remote access, Internet and e-business, virtual private networks, videoconferencing, wireless connectivity and network security.

The company has approximately 7 900 customers world-wide that consist of value-added and general resellers, systems integrators and service providers that resell networking products and solutions to small and medium sized businesses, major enterprise organizations and governments around the world. These solutions include the design and configuration of data, voice converged and wireless networks, network extensions, such as video conferencing, network storage and unified messaging and network security.

The Comstor division of the company leads with Cisco products in the US, Europe, Australia, the UK, Germany, Belgium, and Singapore and Singapore, while offering a host of complementary products centered on convergence, security and IP devices. The US-based Voda One division leads with Avaya products for convergence, unified messaging, call centre applications, PBX, and data networking solutions. The Westcon division of the company leads with Nortel Networks solutions and also provides voice and data networking equipment and security products in the U.S., Europe, Canada, Australia, and Brazil. Westcon is a major distributor of Checkpoint security solutions.

The company launched its Convergence Symposiums in North America. The Convergence Symposiums are scheduled to roll out in Europe and Asia-Pacific in the near future. Westcon also announced Convergence Edge, an integrated support programme, and announced distribution agreements with Proxim in Europe, Avaya in Brazil and Europe, and SpectraLink and LightPointe in North America.

Westcon had vendor partnerships with Fortinet, NetIQ, and Enterasys in North America. The company signed North American and European distribution agreements with Symbol Technologies, significantly expanding Westcon’s IP devices portfolio. Westcon offered Homeland Security and Business Continuity conferences, Security and IP Telephony ‘Fast Track’ technical training programs and product-specific ‘Coffee Club’ sessions.

Logicalis

Logicalis provides high performance IT integration solutions internationally. Logicalis engages in the specification, design, deployment, and management of IT infrastructure to approximately 3 000 corporate and public sector customers. Logicalis principally operates in Slough, United Kingdom (U.K.) and in seven countries. Logicalis provides complex technology services and solutions. Logicalis’s vision is to become the partner of choice for IT solutions, integrating best-in-class offerings from major IT and networking vendors. The company has disposal of Logicalis assets in Australia and New Zealand to IBM Corporation.

Logicalis has operations in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil. (Logicalis’ operations in Australia and New Zealand were sold in March 2004.) Logicalis maintains partnerships with technology companies, such as HP, IBM, and Cisco. Logicalis focuses to create value for customers through the delivery of solutions and services that are beyond the scope of vendor offerings, including integrated, multi-vendor solutions, managed services, and optimization services.

Mason

Mason is the company’s telecommunications consulting subsidiary. Mason primarily operates in the U.K., Ireland, and Continental Europe.

Mason’s services include: solutions strategy, business planning, engineering and design, procurement (for and on behalf of the client), program and project management and network optimization. Mason’s clients are blue chip organizations in the telecommunication (telecom), enterprise and government markets.

Other Holdings

The company also has operations under Other Holdings, such as Westcon AME (operating in Africa), Online Distribution (operating in the Middle East) and RangeGate (operating in South Africa (SA) and the U.K.).

Westcon AME and Online Distribution: Westcon AME and Online Distribution, value added networking distributors whose operations mirror those of the Westcon group.

Affinity logic: Affinity logic operates as an IT outsource services company. Datatec sold its 55.2% shareholding in Affinity Logic to UCS Group Limited in August 2003.

Rangegate: Rangegate located in S.A. and the U.K., represents the company’s mobile technology systems integration business, and provides mobile supply chain solutions to sectors, such as retail, industrial, manufacturing, and transport and logistics.