History of First Distribution
Epsidon Technology Distribution (Pty) Ltd, trading as First Distribution, was founded in 1984.
First Distribution started business as an innovator in the IT technology space by writing backup software and designing a QIC-02 tape streamer interface card. The TEAC tape streamer mechanism became the base for the Epsidon Tape Streamer Backup System.
The backup solution was sold primarily in the European market as well as Australia, the USA and a smaller percentage within the Southern African market.
Due to the volume of TEAC tape mechanisms purchased, TEAC suggested that the company distribute its floppy drives. As the business grew, more and more products were brought on board including motherboards, I/O cards, display cards and cases and these components were distributed to the reseller community. Due to customer demand for high quality white boxes, First Distribution started assembling its own white box product which was branded the Epsidon PC.
In July of 1995, IBM S.A. appointed First Distribution as the first IBM distributor in South Africa.
During 1997, the company re branded its white box PC under the Nitro brand, and due to increasing demand, a larger assembly facility was required. This led to the purchase of HiTechnology Supply Company, the makers of the FujiTech PC brand. Concurrently, the IBM brand continued to grow to more than 50% of the total company business.
The focus for First Distribution since early 2000 has been almost exclusively the IBM branded product and slowly the white box brand was discontinued due to the growth and focus on the IBM Brand.
Further to this, in 2002, IBM South Africa appointed First Distribution as a distributor for the full range of IBM Software product, thus completing First Distribution’s IBM product offering.
First Distribution has since added a Networking Business Unit, which distributes cable, fibre and edge of network products.
In 2005 when Lenovo purchased the IBM PC company First Distribution was appointed as a Lenovo Distributor for the Think and 3000 Family of products.
First Distribution continues to be the leading broad based IBM Distributor in South Africa and has been awarded by IBM as the Top IBM Distributer in South Africa for 8 Years Running (2001 – 2008).
First Distribution has been trading for over 25 years, having IBM in its portfolio for over 14 of those years.