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| expressions from the desk of the MD
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| Spring is in the air - at last! Maybe my bones are getting old, but this winter felt too long for me. Now we can clean the cupboards, stash the heaters and take to gardening again - and oh yes, get those backsides into the saddle! |
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New Shareholders |
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As you may know, we have been in negotiations with Pytron Information Holdings, for some time to take up equity in Exponªnt. |
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| Pytron is our partner on various initiatives (the DCS project, Tender 38 and OSIS Navy) and we have become well acquainted with each other. The company is 100% black owned, chaired by Sibu Maphatiane, whom is also on our board. In their own right, they have also grown their business to more than 50 consultants with some solid contracts. |
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| Pytron now has 30% of the equity in Exponªnt, which will grow to 33% shortly, with an option to increase it to 50%. So, now our BEE side on the equity level is above what the
"requirements" in the industry are. |
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| New Business |
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| Some more placements on Tender 38 - but the replacement of that tender is out and the industry is frantically preparing to respond. We hope to remain on the list however. |
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| Wikus secured a major new contract for us at Department of Agriculture - in all about 10 new placements, plus we retain what we already had. Well-done Wikus! |
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| We are contemplating to take a new ERP system to the SA market. Agresso is the Dutch/Norwegian ERP, which we have maintained offshore over the past three years. The client has now requested that we present them in SA and we are currently preparing a response for a first tender. Paul Bouwman is driving this initiative. |
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Hennie has placed some consultants in Cape Town - albeit for a short period - the foot is in the door! He also placed a consultant in Stellenbosch on a two-year contract. |
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| On the Projects |
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| You guys are slow with the news about the projects. Maybe you do not have my mail address - so here goes marius@Exponªnt.com |
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| Namibia - We have secured some SAGE work there and are busy with the projects. |
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| Philip is more in Africa, than at home - doing well with the POS installations. |
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| DCS - at last some positive news! We got accepted at Durban (although sign-off is still forthcoming for technical reasons). We are now finalizing preparation for the Johannesburg pilot. |
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| OSIS got more certainty for the remainder of the financial year and one additional resource in Cape Town - Martie's wish at last! |
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| We also got some bad news from the offshore side - the long awaited STATER project, started, to end a few months later! There are some other prospects, but time will tell. |
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| At Head Office |
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| You know about our shareholders, and shortly there will be a new director as well - but more about that later. |
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| Consulting Services (Wikus's shop) is growing fast and he needs help. We have allocated some of that business to Louw Cilliers and have appointed Yogi Naidoo (our consultant at Home Affairs) as an Account Manager as well. They are at present finalizing the meaningful division of that business. Best of luck to them! |
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| Social Events |
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| The original date of 13 February 2005 for the cycling event has been withdrawn! We are at present in negotiations for a new date - possibly 30 April 2005, but now it will also be Pretoria's qualifier for the Argus! So keep practicing! |
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| Preparations for the Social Club's year end function is well underway scheduled for 29 October 2004, and the invites are done and will be delivered by your account managers. |
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| We are also finalizing the new 5-year club list and prepare for a function early in the new year. |
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| Well, that's it. And now, send those mails to me. |
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| Regards, |
| Marius |
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