Founded in 1984, Epsidon Technology Distribution (Pty) Ltd, trading as 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, which was sold primarily to the European market, as well as Australia, the USA and a smaller percentage to the Southern African market.
The high volume of TEAC tape mechanisms purchased, led to a proposal from TEAC 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 1997, the company rebranded its white box PC under the Nitro brand, and increasing demand led to a need for a larger assembly facility. This led to the purchase of the HiTechnology Supply Company, makers of the FujiTech PC brand. Concurrently, the IBM brand continued to grow to more than 50% of the total company business.
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From early 2000, First Distribution’s
focus became almost exclusively IBM branded product which enjoyed
substantial growth, ultimately leading to the gradual discontinuation of
the white box brand.
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. In 2011, we are celebrating
our 16th year of successful collaboration with IBM.
In 2005, First Distribution opened a Networking Business
Unit, which distributes cable, fibre and edge of network products.
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During 2009, a strategic decision was
made to diversify the Brands that First Distribution offers to its
Business Partners. This started with the Samsung LFD distribution
agreement in April 2009, with a product range that complements First
Distribution’s offering to its retail partners, and becoming a
substantial brand within the company. The Samsung Thin Client has been
added to the portfolio and this brand has grown from strength to
strength.
An exclusive agreement for South Africa was entered into with Oracle on December 1, 2009.
Following this and the acquisition of Sun Microsystems by
Oracle in 2009, Oracle Hardware was added to First Distribution’s
portfolio for distribution in July 2010.
First Distribution’s next new Brand was VMware, commencing
trading on the March 1, 2010. While First Distribution had already been
distributing VMware via the IBM OEM agreement for many years, the new
agreement directly with VMware has enabled First Distribution to use its
extensive VMware skills with a new set of Business Partners that have
previously not sold IBM or who are hardware “agnostic”.
This has been an extremely successful agreement, culminating
in First Distribution winning the “2010 VMware Distributor of the Year”
award, after only trading for ten months.
EMC and RSA were added in July 2010. EMC sales have grown
phenomenally, and First Distribution is proud of the success it has
achieved with this brand in the Enterprise and SMB markets. |
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A hosting division was created with the signing of the First
Distribution Microsoft SPLA distribution agreement on March 1, 2011.
Parallel to this, First Distribution also signed the VMware VSPP hosting
agreement. This specialist team focuses on hosting solutions to the
Business Partner community.
Veeam and Commvault agreements were signed in early 2011 and
these two fantastic offerings have formed part of the First
Distribution virtualization ecosystem.
Twenty-seven years in business and a well-constructed
portfolio of product offerings and partnerships position First
Distribution as a market leader in the development of world class IT
solutions using premium brands to offer our customers unrivalled
products and services for their clients.
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