Mind the generation gap - Words' Worth profile_4_2011.pdf · MAGAZINE FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE ALTRON GROUP ISSUE 4/2011 UEC’s new story factory Mind the generation gap DMA and

A PEEK BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE ALTRON AWARDS

MAGAZINE FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE ALTRON GROUP ISSUE 4/2011

UEC’s new story factory

Mind the generation gap

DMA and Best Company:

DEREK’S MANY REASONS TO SMILE

On the coverDerek Chaplin, MD of Altech Card Solutions

PROFILE is printed on TOP ART paper, supplied and partly sponsored by NOR Paper, a Bytes Document Solutions subsidiary. TOP ART is a triple-coated, environmentally friendly art paper. It is also wood-free, made with cellulose pulp that is chemically treated to obtain a high level of whiteness. The treatment uses no chlorine gas.

Editorial informationProfi le is co-edited by Grant Rogerson and Liezl Kruger of the Altron Group Corporate Communications Department.

The Profi le editorial committee members are:Michelle Doyle – AltronRegula Niehus – PowertechMarius Venter – BytesChris Van Zyl – AltechJanica Nhlapo – Altron

Profi le is also available on the Altron internal website (Alix): www.altronprofi le.com

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter:

http: //www.facebook.com/AltronGroup

@Altrongroup

Direct all queries to:Tel: 011 645-3600Email: [email protected]/[email protected]

Design and production:Words’worth (www.words-worth.co.za)

Voltaire understood the importance of recognition when he said: “Appreciation is a wonderful thing; it makes what is excel-lent in others belong to us as well.” There is no doubt that one of the deepest needs in human nature is to be appreciated and recognised for one’s accomplishments. We, the joint editors of Profi le, who have both been recognised publicly by the group for our contribution, can certainly attest to this philosophy!

In this issue, therefore, we salute and con-gratulate all of our award winners, especially Derek Chaplin and Altech Card Solutions who swept the board by taking all the major honours at this year’s event.

SincerelyGrant and Liezl

Since the last issue of Profi le was pub-lished, the Altron Group’s Annual Awards have come and gone with much fanfare. According to extensive feedback, it was once again a highly successful event.

The awards are the brainchild of our chairman, Dr Venter. He initiated the event way back in 1965 at Allied Electric in Boksburg East when the company’s nine-member senior and middle management team celebrated with a simple braai in the backyard.

One of the main objectives of the awards today (as it was then) is to recognise and honour those employees who deliver excel-lent service to our customers or make a sig-nifi cant contribution to the wellbeing of our group. Management has long believed that this recognition means acknowledging some-one’s accomplishments before their peers.

The 18th century French philosopher

Grant Rogerson and Liezl Kruger

The good and the great

MediSwitch (a division of Bytes Healthcare

Solutions) sponsored a stand at the annual

KZNMCC Conference at the Elangeni Conference

Centre in KwaZulu-Natal. With 59 sponsors and

more than 900 healthcare professionals that reg-

istered, it was a signifi cant event on the national

healthcare calendar.

Suraksha Mohan, one of the MediSwitch

personnel who manned the stand, commented

on the positive feedback: “Our stand got a lot of

compliments with some doctors saying ours was

the best looking stand.”

Dr P Panday won a GoFlex USB 3.0 plug-and-

play external hard drive in the MediSwitch raffl e.

MediSwitch shines at KZNMCC Conference

The KZN MediSwitch team at the KZNMCC Conference: (from left) Suraksha Mohan, Sandy Miller and Avesh Mangaru.

Fairground attractionAltron recently exhibited at the Anglo American

Trade Fair in Sandton. The focus of the fair

was local procurement and enterprise develop-

ment. Peter Riley, director of Powertech, and

Hennie du Plessis, CEO of Xerox distributor

Bytes Document Solutions, advised visitors of

their companies’ offerings and commitment to

transformation targets.

The fair highlighted the lasting economic

and social benefi ts for host communities in

South Africa through Anglo American’s support

for entrepreneurs and small and medium-size

businesses, and the building of resilient local

supply chains.

Anglo American has long been one of Altron’s most valuable customers. The trade fair was an opportunity for Altron CE, Robbie Venter, and Sir John Parker, chairman of Anglo American plc, to meet. With them were Barend Petersen, CEO of De Beers Consolidated Mining (far left); Powertech CEO Norbert Claussen; and Powertech director Peter Riley.

Bytes connects with customersThe fi rst customer events under the new

Bytes Connect branding were recently held in

Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. These

Customer Connect events, co-sponsored by

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, introduced Bytes

Connect’s ICT offering and highlighted innova-

tions in the communications industry.

The overall feedback from customers was

extremely positive with most rating the session

as “very good to excellent” in terms of speak-

ers, content and relevance of the presentations.

The next round of Customer Connect events is

scheduled for September and October 2011.

A toast to the Bytes mastersThe Bytes group’s Byte Your Tongue Toast-

masters Club has earned the highest status

that can be bestowed on a club: the President's

Distinguished Club Award for 2010/11. The

Toastmasters International Distinguished Club

Programme recognizes the best clubs worldwide.

To obtain President’s Distinguished Club

status, a club has to reach at least 90% of the

Anne Carre, president of the Byte Your Tongue Toastmasters Club.

Page 04 Tribute to David Redshaw

Page 07 Imagination in a box

Page 8-19 All about the Awards

Page 20 From zero to 94.7

Page 22 Ally’s Tech Corner

global Toastmasters speaking and leadership objec-

tives. Last year, only about 10% of all Toastmaster

clubs in southern Africa obtained this honour.

Byte Your Tongue marked the achievement with

a formal celebratory dinner on 21 July 2011.

BUSINESS PROFILE 3BUSINESS PROFILE2

The Altron Awards recognise excel-lence. Although only approximately 550 of our senior managers attend the event, there are over 12 000 people, in scores of teams, that make Altron tick.

Have you ever wondered why award-winning teams stand out from the rest?

Quality teamwork doesn't happen incidentally. It requires commitment and courage, a willingness to accept the uniqueness of others, and an appreciation of diversity. True teamwork is an ex-tremely productive human activity. Every business wants to harness its energy, but achieving this is not easy.

Award-winning teams are not only a group of diverse individuals in the same location; their secret is a shared commit-ment to work together to achieve com-pany and customer goals.

Winning teams innovate to make and save money or improve productivity. They respect each person's individual contribution, show appreciation, inspire one another and share the conviction that their group effort has the potential for real genius. A team that functions well internally projects this image to custom-ers and competitors.

Robert VenterChief Executive

As our industry and group evolves, we need resilience and true teamwork. Our group executive committee recently held a strategy session where we addressed changes in the sector and our group's response to them. One of the observa-tions was that all our major customers want to do more work with fewer suppli-ers. Altron is ideally positioned to capi-talise on this trend. To do so, however, we need to improve effi ciencies even further. Success depends on us harness-ing the strength of the Altron team. While our businesses still have the freedom to explore their own possibilities, we have to work together like never before. A com-bination of decentralized teams and the collective strength of the group will be a winning one!

“I have, over the 22 years I worked with him, always considered David an exceptional businessman and a true gentleman. Go well my friend, we will all miss you.”

Dr Bill Venter, chairman of Altron and chairman of Bytes

“David was a truly exceptional person and an outstanding leader of Bytes as well as the greater Altron Group and an equally effective member of our Board and my executive committee. I will always remember David as being the perfect gentleman.”

Robbie Venter, Altron CE

“David was a long-time friend and confi dante of our family. His larger than life nature, infectious smile and warm personality made him a joy to be around. He was loved by his colleagues and his staff and created a culture of loyalty that speaks volumes for who he was as a man.”

Craig Venter, CEO of Altech

“David was a dear friend, colleague and inspirational leader. We are fortunate to have known him and to have worked alongside him over so many years. I recall with much fondness his presentations which inevitably ended with one of his famous Dilbert comic strips.”

Rob Abraham, CEO of the Bytes Group

“In managing the Xerox relationship, David always balanced mutual interest with integrity, strategic and operational issues and often found time to joke and laugh. David was a man of huge knowledge, experience and character and will be sorely missed by us all.”

Xerox Partners in the UK

avid Redshaw, a non-executive director on the Altron Board, passed away in July at the age of 69 after a short illness. He was well known and respected

throughout Altron following a 22-year career with the group. David fi rst joined our ranks in 1987 as fi nancial director of Powertech. During the next few years he oversaw the delisting of Punch Line and successfully restructured the group’s remaining IT businesses under Fintech. He was also responsible for the merger of the acquired Usko businesses and Fintech into the Bytes Technology Group in 2001. Before retiring, David established the Bytes UK operations into a successful business venture. He was chairman of the London-based company at the time of his passing.

David has left a legacy at Bytes where he transformed a fi nancially unstable business, in desperate need of a visionary leader, into the largest South African owned IT company.

Our deepest condolences go to Marjorie, Philip and Jackie Redshaw and their families.

D

More than 150 women attended the sec-ond annual Bytes Women's Day at the Bytes Conference Centre in August. The theme was “High Tea” and the women dressed up in fancy hats.

Annique Health & Beauty, Paloma Exclusive Ladies Boutique and Morrells Manor House sponsored a lucky draw. In addition, Annique head offi ce spon-sored a hamper and two salon facials. The day was hosted by Dr Madelise Grobler of Bytes People Solutions.

Bytes is South Africa’s most empowered ICT group and boasts a 25% female staff complement.

High tea, laughter and gifts at Bytes Women’s Day

The “High Tea” theme inspired the guests’ outfi ts.


At the beginning of August, Simon Susman and Rob Abraham joined the Altron board as an independ-ent non-executive director and executive director respectively.

Simon is currently the non-executive deputy chairman of Woolworths South Africa and non-executive chairman of Country Road, Australia. He recently retired after 10 years as the chief executive of the Woolworths group.

Rob is the current CEO of Bytes Technology group. He has spent more than three decades in the ICT sector. Prior to joining the Altron group, Rob held senior posi-tions with Olivetti and USKO Limited.

New hands at the highest helmsBoth Altron and Altech recently appointed new members to their boards.

In Altech’s case, this included a new chairman. Profi le congratulates the

appointees and wishes them all the best during their tenure.

Simon Susman and Rob Abraham.

New chairman for AltechMoss Leoka, an Altech director since 1998, has been appointed as chairman of the Altech board. He replaces Dr Hilton Davies who has retired.

Moss is a respected business leader with extensive executive management experience at some of South Africa’s leading corporations.• Altech also appointed three new non-executive directors

to the board. They are Tony Dixon, Ronnie Ntuli and Dr Harold Serebro.

GOODBYE, Dr Davies

The chairman of Altron, Dr Venter, together with Robbie Venter, CE, recently co-hosted a farewell dinner in honour of Dr Hilton Davies, who has retired after 15 years as chairman of the Altech Group. Photographed at the event are (from left): Dr Venter, Craig Venter, Peter Curle, Zakhele Sithole, Rory Mackey, Ramani Naidoo, Dr Davies, Alex Smith, incoming Altech chairman Moss Leoka, and Robbie Venter.

Rajesh Ramkawal, production manager Altech UEC, Minister of Communications, Roy Padayachie, and Altech CEO, Craig Venter, touring the new Altech UEC manufacturing facility.

Daphne Coopasamy, component assembly

operator, with Minister Roy Padayachie.

Altech UEC recently offi cially opened the doors to Africa’s fi rst high-tech factory where more than three million television set-top boxes (STBs) will be manufactured every year.

South Africa will need more than nine million digital STBs as it migrates to digital terrestrial television (DTT) in the near future. A further 30 million will be required for the rest of sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, says Altech CEO Craig Venter, the new factory will drive growth and job creation. “Not only are we employing people in the factory, but services such as packaging, delivery and installation will create tens of thousands of small business opportunities in the years to come. In the process, people will acquire new skills, equipping them for the next wave of ICT innovation and development. The cycle of advance-ment and wealth creation is potentially endless.”

The new factory employs 600 people in its 13 500m2 state-of-the-art factory at Mount Edgecombe, near Durban.

Reality TVAltech UEC’s story is also the story of choice in South Africa. After the ar-rival of TV in 1976, South Africans

ImaginationAltech UEC recently opened one of the world’s most advanced set-top box factories. From this new hub, STBs will deliver pictures to millions of homes as part of the DTT migration programme.

were limited to four channels for almost two decades. Finally, in 1995, MultiChoice launched DStv and Altech UEC was chosen to supply the digital decoders subscribers needed to receive the DStv signal. In 1997, Altech UEC decided to build its own factory. In just two months, the facility was up and running, securing the business with MultiChoice that has lasted ever since.

Reaching far and wideAltech UEC has technical develop-ment and support centres in South Africa, India and Australia, and cus-tomers across Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia.

The company employs about 1 000 people worldwide, including over 300 qualifi ed electronics engineers, software engineers, technicians and other profes-sional staff.

Global Decoder Logistics, the

company’s after-sales services division, processes over 60 000 STBs per month, providing repair and refurbishment serv-ices to a wide range of STB makes and models in South Africa and Australia.


Traditionalists(born between 1925 and 1945)Most Traditionalists are now retired or in a consulting role. This generation considers work a privilege and believes you earn your way to the top through hard work. Traditionalists are particularly loyal – many have worked for the same employer their entire life.

Of all generations in today's workplace, the Traditionalists are usually the slow-est to change their work habits and the least technologically adept.

Baby Boomers(born between 1946 and 1964)Born in the "baby boom" following World War II, Baby Boomers are now

well-established in their careers and usually hold positions of power and authority. This generation is generally motivated by position, perks and prestige; they defi ne themselves by their professional accomplishments. This workaholic generation often criticizes Generation X and Generation Y employees for a lack of work ethic and commitment to the workplace.

Baby Boomers welcome exciting, challenging projects and strive to make a difference. They believe in hierarchial structures and may have a hard time adjusting to workplace fl exibility trends. They believe in "face time" at the offi ce and, therefore, may fault younger generations for working remotely.

Generation X(born between 1965 and 1980)Generation X came of age in an era of two-income families, rising divorce rates and a faltering economy. Women were joining the workforce in large numbers. As a result, Generation X is independent, resourceful and self-suffi cient.

In the workplace, they value freedom and responsibility. They dislike being micro-managed and embrace a hands-off management philosophy.

The Generation X mentality refl ects a shift from a manufacturing economy to a service economy. Being the fi rst generation to grow up with technology, smartphones, email and laptops are woven into their lives.

Many of the older Generation Xers saw their workaholic parents lose hard-earned positions in the 1980s. They are therefore less committed to one employer and willing to change jobs.

They adapt well to change and are tolerant of alternative lifestyles. Generation X is ambitious and eager to learn new skills but want to accomplish things on their own terms.

Unlike previous generations, members of Generation X work to live rather than live to work. They appreciate fun in the workplace and espouse a work hard/play hard mentality.

Generation Y(born between 1981 and 1995)Generation Y is the fastest growing seg-ment of today’s workforce. Employers that cannot harness the talent of Generation Y will have diffi culty attract-ing and retaining the skilled workers they need.

Generation Y grew up with technology and is plugged-in 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

This generation prefers to communicate through social media, email and text messaging. They would rather link into a webinar than attend a presentation.

Today’s younger workers may not know as much as their older colleagues. What they do have, however, is a skill called “just-in-time comprehension” – knowing how to fi nd information when they need it. When the workplace provides the facilities, younger workers easily substitute the ability to fi nd and apply data for innate knowledge.

Generation Y trades high pay for fewer billable hours, fl exible schedules and a better work/life balance.

These young professionals are confi dent, ambitious and achievement-oriented. They have high expectations of their employers, seek out new challenges and are not afraid to question authority. Generation Y wants meaningful work and a solid learning curve. They appreciate being kept in the loop and seek frequent praise and reassurance.

Generation Y may benefi t greatly from mentors who can guide and develop their young careers.

How your birthday infl uences your work day

Based on an address by Robbie Venter at this year’s Altron Annual Awards.

Today, more than ever before, organisations are a melting pot of worldviews and motivation. The successful companies of the future will be those that can accommodate the unique styles of the different generations in the workplace.

Personal computers appeared in the late 1970s and became mainstream technology during the late 1980s. This demarcation divides the workforce into two distinct segments: those who saw a PC before they fi nished high school and those who did not.

Generally, most Generation Xers and all of Generation Y fall into the fi rst group; nearly all Baby Boomers fall into the second group. The point at which people fi rst come into contact with the Internet and mobile devices has a profound implication for the way they learn and work in technology-mediated environments.

At Altron we need to balance the knowledge and experience of older workers with the talent and enthusiasm of the younger ones. If we can successfully blend the benefi ts of new technology with the natural skills of our workers across all generations, we will be more resilient, offering a work experience that serves as a talent magnet for the best people - whether they are 18 or 80.

To view Robbie’s full address and the videos that accompanied it, visit Alix: http://alix.altron.com/altron/Awards11/vids.htm

What

does it mean?

AWARDS PROFILE 9AWARDS PROFILE8

The “boxes” in Derek’s life are not of the cardboard variety. Altech Card Solutions, the Altron group’s best company for 2011, is a major player in the point-of-sale device, card personalisation, niche IT security and transaction switching services and solutions market. “Every time you use your credit card or debit card, there is a greater than 50% chance that the terminal in the shop assistant’s hand was supplied by us,” says Derek, MD of Altech Card Solutions. “And while our current business depends on how many “boxes” we sell each year, we are slowly increasing our annuity revenue stream through value-added services.”

From cards to securityDerek joined the world of banking and credit cards in 1993 when he was offered a position in a small family-owned company. “One of their businesses was Africard. We produced

350 000 cards per month in those early days and employed about 20 people.” When Altech bought Africard in 2001, Derek’s 90 employees were producing up to two million cards a month.

The acquisition was perfectly timed. Africard needed the technology expertise and backing of a large group to move the business forward, while Altech wanted to develop its own card producing capability for the local market. Shortly after the acquisition, Altech consolidated its card-related businesses into Altech Card Solutions under Derek’s leadership.

In January 2004, Altech Card Solutions acquired the switching operations of AST (now Gijima AST). “This was our fi rst major entry into the annuity income stream environment. Up until then, our only annuity was from repairs and maintenance and software development for point-of-sale devices,” says Derek. “This allowed us

to compliment the services provided by the banks by offering the customer additional value-added services.”

The subsequent acquisition of Namitech by Altech triggered a series of organisational changes. The net result was that Altech Card Solutions moved away from producing cards and into providing information and cryptographic security solutions. The company also began to host infrastructure on behalf of third parties as well as providing a full suite of managed security services.

Future focusAltech Card Solutions sees a large portion of its future growth coming from the rest of Africa and is working hard at establishing its credentials. Derek explains: “Our strategy is to take our ‘toolbox’ into these markets and show what we can do in terms of security, point-of-sale and switching services. We want a foothold that will allow us to roll out a variety of services when the time is right.”

Awards and accoladesDerek regards the DMA as an hon-our and appreciates the recognition it implies. “I am close to the end of my career and I have loved every single minute of it.” He enjoys imparting his knowledge and experience, and revels in people development successes. At Altech Card Solutions, for instance, em-ployees who started as terminal cleaners are now fully-fl edged technicians, solv-ing problems at customer sites.

Altech Card Solutions’ award as the best company in the Altron group acknowledges the fact that a lot of people have worked “helluva hard”, says Derek. Through the recession, the company had some of its best times, thanks to “the team” and their excellent customer relations.

Boxes and so much moreThe accountant who sold packaging before farming mushrooms, is now in the business of selling hardware and value-added services to the fi nancial services market. Derek Chaplin’s 2011 DMA award shows just how good he is at it.

Derek receives the Altron Chairman's Distinguished Merit Award (DMA) for 2011 from Dr Venter.

Derek is an accountant by profession. After six years of balancing books at Kohler

Packaging, however, he wanted to learn more about business. After a stint as a sales

rep and then product manager, Derek was recruited to join the Tongaat Foods Group.

He was in the maize milling business until sent down to Cape Town to implement

a high-tech mushroom farm based on Dutch technology. Within 15 months, the

Durbanville farm had increased its weekly crop from 10 tons to 32 tons. Two years

later a further expansion increased capacity to 64 tons per week. Having reached a

crossroads in his career, Derek accepted the offer to join Africard in 1993.

When not working, Derek enjoys a game of golf and watches his daughter and

two sons playing sports. “This is something my parents never could do for me. I make

an effort not to miss my children’s events.” Derek used to be a runner and has com-

pleted 50 marathons and ultra-marathons.

The man behind the DMA

The Altech Card Solutions executive team is (from left, standing) Johan Retief, consultant Integrated Transaction Services; Mike Hooper, GM Information Security; Gavin Heyns, fi nancial manager; Chris Dewe, GM Integrated Transaction Services; Peter Bonfrer, GM Cryptographic Security; and (seated) Derek Chaplin and Nico Els, GM Card Personalisation Solutions. (Nico has since left to take up the post of MD at Altech FleetCall.)

Derek receives the

“I love my job. All days are

good days for me – some days are just better.”

In the 2010/11 fi nancial year, Altech Card Solutions:● Increased revenue by 27%

● Increased operating profi t by 19%

● Return on capital employed: 122%.

AWARDS PROFILE 11AWARDS PROFILE10

The 2011 Altron Annual Awards event was different to previous years. “Our project team was a mixed bag of backgrounds and age groups. This made for interesting com-mittee meetings and a lot of fun!” says Grant Rogerson, Altron group executive: corporate relations and project leader, who has arranged 34 Awards functions to date.

The Awards had a high-tech theme. “We are, after all, a technology company and we wanted to showcase our capabil-ities,” says Debbye Marais, Altron group information manager. The offi cial theme for the event was Gaining Momentum – an immersion in technology.

“It was important to balance the day between ‘old favourites’ and the ‘wow factor’ that a technology theme

demands,” says Michelle Doyle, group executive: corporate communications. “We integrated a myriad of technologies, from 3D videos to virtual characters and live twitter feeds. Debbye put together fantastic exhibits with Altron group com-panies and partners.” These included stands from Apple, Strike Technologies, Alcatel Lucent, Cisco, SAP, Microsoft, Xerox, Altech Mediaverge, Altech NuPay, Altech Netstar and Powertech

Homegrown high tech “We used in-house XMPie technology from Bytes Document Solutions to personalise the Awards invitations. The invitation, which was emailed, contained a short sur-vey that the guests had to complete,” says

The SECRETS behind a SPECTACULAR EVENTIn 1965, nine senior managers attended the fi rst Altron Awards. This year, 550 of the group’s most senior executives, both local and international, enjoyed a spectacular celebration. Profi le takes a peak behind the scenes.

Grant Rogerson welcomes Dr Venter and Penny Venter to the Altron Annual Awards.

MC Riaad Moosa and co-host Ally Tron.

Liezl Kruger, group corporate communica-tions manager. “This helped us to deter-mine, among other things, if the attendee had a smartphone and what make it was. We needed this information to install the Awards application onto the phones.” Bytes Connect developed smart phone applications for iPhone, Blackberry and Android phones especially for the Awards.

The team also used the XMPie technol-ogy to send out follow-up mailers, in-forming the attendees on how to access the Awards website and use Twitter on the day (following @Altrongroup). “We had various people tweeting throughout the day. It was fascinating to see in real time what guests enjoyed,” says Liezl.

Alcatel Lucent supplied broadband connectivity via the Vodacom data center, allowing everyone to connect to the internet at high speeds and for free.

Special acts“To complement the theme, this year’s concert featured several speciality acts, such as aerial acts, alongside the classics, such as the South African Ballet Theatre and the Black Tie Ensemble,” says Grant.

“The limelight, however, was on the award winners. The day is, after all, about recognising the outstanding achievements of members of the Altron Group,” concludes Grant.

WHO IS ALLY TRON?Ally Tron is a virtual character that was created for the event. “Ally was our co-MC, assisting comedian Riaad Moosa,” says Michelle. “She also greeted the guests as they arrived, from her perch on a big screen in the foyer of the Vodacom Dome.”

Ally was created by a design team who brought her to life by using special technology which included a sensor-suit worn by actress Kim Engelbrecht. “Kim’s words and movements translate into what Ally said and did on screen. Ally could ‘see’ everyone on a monitor via a camera-feed, and received prompts from Anne van Zyl, so it was like interacting with a real person.”

Ally also had her own Twitter account and was tweeting throughout the day.

Mohsin Jassat, the corporate general manager for South African Airways who sponsored the two return air-tickets to London for the DMA winner, and Dr Venter applaud the DMA fi nalists.

This year’s guest speaker was the famous Arctic swimmer, Lewis Pugh.

According to the post-event survey, here’s what guests enjoyed most at the Awards:

1. MC, Riaad Moosa2. Lewis Pugh3. Sterling Quartet4. Ally Tron5. Speciality Acts6. 3D video7. Black Tie Ensemble8. South African Ballet Theatre

TWEETS* AshleaShle: @AltronGroupBrilliant presentation Rob Abraham, I love your people focus. An awesome example for others.

* Winstonanderso:Thx 4 an amazing day. Well done 2 the team that put it 2gether.

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Excellence in empowerment transformation

Robbie Venter, Altron CE, and Altron Group Executive for Corpo-rate Affairs, Seara Macheli-Mkhabela, congratulate Ed Mahobe on Willard Batteries’ achievement. The company has improved its compliance rating from a Level 8 to a Level 4 in a remarkably short period of time.

The Most Improved B-BBEE Company in the GroupNominees● Willard Batteries ● Bytes Systems Integration ● Altech Isis

Winner: Willard Batteries

Bytes People Solutions MD, Dr Madelise Grobler, accepts the award from Robbie Venter and Seara Macheli-Mkhabela. Madelise and her team were recognised for their efforts in train-ing disabled people and ensuring their employability. Special mention was made of the success of the Altech UEC community service centre in KwaZulu-Natal.

The Best BEE Initiative in the GroupNominees● Powertech Transformers ● Technology Integrated Solutions● Altech UEC ● Bytes People Solutions

Winner: Bytes People Solutions

Swisttech MD, Yanesh Ramiah, receives her company’s award from Robbie Venter and Seara Macheli-Mkhabela. The company boasts the highest employment equity score in the group and was complimented on its progress with the more diffi cult components of transformation, namely ownership, management control and preferential procurement.

Top Empowered Company in the Group (turnover less than R35m pa)Nominees ● AIMS ● Altech Swisttech

Winner: Altech Swisttech

Robbie Venter and Seara Macheli-Mkhabela present Tshepo Molope, MD of Battery Technologies, with the award. Battery Technologies is a Level 2 contributor with the most substantial performance in pursuit of the targets of Vision 2012. The com-pany overshadows all other Altron group companies in manage-ment empowerment.

Top Empowered Company in the Group (turnover more than R35m pa)Nominees● Battery Technologies ● Bytes Technology Group ● LaserCom

Winner: Battery Technologies

Altron group secretary, Andrew Johnston, congratulates Hennie du Plessis, MD of Bytes Document Solutions, for winning the Altron Environmental Award.

The AMS aceThe AMS Executive Award recognises a signifi cant contribution to the Altron Group.

NomineesElizabeth Defi llo - Altron assistant company secretary and Powertech company secretaryArno Geldenhuys - Altron group fi nance managerDebra-Lynn Marais - Group IT managerPatricia Mpange - catering/refreshments, Parktown

Winner: Arno Geldenhuys, group fi nance managerArno joined Altron through Bytes seven years ago. He moved to Altron Parktown four years ago, fi rst as group accountant and then as group fi nance manager. During his tenure with the group, Arno has simplifi ed and streamlined our reporting proc-esses, enabling Group Finance to deliver more accurate and useful sets of fi nancial information to senior executives in a shorter space of time.

As custodian of the group’s fi nancial reporting systems, Arno is a highly respected member of the Altron head offi ce team.

Arno Geldenhuys receives the AMS Executive Award from Robbie Venter.

Towards a greener AltronThis Altron Environmental Award was introduced in 2010. This year, it attracted eight entries, varying from individuals that are making a difference in their communities and green products and services, to entire companies striving to make a difference.

Nominees● Powertech IST for assisting their clients to go green with

a range for energy and water saving products.● Bytes Document Solutions for improving offi ce

infrastructure, changing employee behaviour and supporting local communities.

● Bytes Technology Group (Byte your Tongue toastmasters group) and the Bona Lesedi vegetable project in Diepsloot.

● Powertech Batteries Group for infrastructure improvement and waste minimisation projects.

Winner: Bytes Document SolutionsHaving identifi ed a “green team” the company implemented vari-ous green initiatives such as organising e-waste days, retro-fi tting its offi ces to be more energy and water effi cient and introducing a formal waste recycling programme. Employees also adopted a vacant piece of land across from their offi ces. They have cleaned it up, planted trees and installed dustbins to help prevent littering.

The best in the businessThe Altron Chief Executive’s Award for Excellence recognises the best company in the group.

NomineesAltech Card SolutionsPowertech TransformersBytes Managed Solutions

Winner: Altech Card Solutions

Robbie Venter presents Derek Chaplin with the CE’s Award for Excellence. In the 2011 fi nancial year, Altech Card Solutions increased revenue by 27% and operating profi t by 19%. Its return on capital employed was an impressive 122%.

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Best Company in Altech for 2011Nominees● Arrow Altech Distribution ● Altech Card Solutions ● Altech Netstar

Winner: Altech Card SolutionsAltech Card Solutions was founded in 1993 and has, over the years, established itself as a leading player in the secure electronic transaction market. ACS was the fi rst South African electronic funds transfer point of sale vendor to be awarded an EMV Level 11 banking application. The company’s revenue increased by 27% during the 2011 fi nancial year with an increase in operating profi t of 19%. The company’s return on capital employed is most impressive at 122%.

Best company awards Most Improved Company Awards

Derek Chaplin, MD of Altech Card Solutions, receives the Best Company in the Altech Group award from Craig Venter on behalf of his team.

MD Robb Griggs and Rob Abraham celebrate Bytes Systems Integration’s success.

Most Improved Company in Bytes for 2011Nominees● Bytes Systems Integration ● Bytes People Solutions ● Bytes Document Solutions (UK) ● Bytes Namibia

Winner: Bytes Systems IntegrationDetermined sales efforts and appropriate austerity measures enabled Bytes Systems Integration to produce their best ever performance. Operating profi t increased by 58% while operating margins were improved by 50%. Many new, large customers were secured, displacing major competitors in many instances during the past year.

CEO Dr Herb Chikwanda, receives Powertech IST’s award from Norbert Claussen.

Most Improved Company in Powertech for 2011Nominees● Aberdare Cables ● Powertech IST ● Swanib Cables

Winner: Powertech ISTPowertech IST signifi cantly improved its order book and profi tability during the past year. IST Data executed programmes which netted over R200 million turnover while IST Energy and IST Otokon also achieved above-budget turnover and profi t. A combined team effort enabled Powertech IST to dramatically improve its EBITDA and maintain good cash fl ow and working capital.

Johan Gellatly accepts the Altech ISIS award on behalf of the company from Craig Venter.

Most Improved Company in Altech for 2011Nominees● Altech Infocom ● Altech Rwanda ● Altech ISIS

Winner: Altech ISISEstablished in 1984, Altech ISIS increased its revenue during the past fi nancial year by 23% and its operating profi t by 51% to R28,4 million.

Altech ISIS is an international turnkey telecoms solutions provider and systems integrator that supplies converged customer care and billing systems to telecoms network operators.

MD Deidre Le Hanie, accepts the Best Company in Bytes award from Rob Abraham on behalf of her team.

Best Company in Bytes for 2011Nominees● Bytes Managed Solutions ● Bytes Healthcare Solutions ● Bytes Systems Integration ● Bytes Software Services of the UK

Winner: Bytes Managed SolutionsFormed through the aggregation of Bytes Managed Services and Bytes Specialised Solutions, this business produced an operating profi t of R81 million at a sustainable margin in excess of 10%. EBITDA improved by 59% with return on capital employed an impressive 51%. An unyielding focus on costs, processes and effi ciencies resulted in a substantial reduction in its SAG percentage, while simultaneously maintaining quality service delivery well above the required SLA levels.

Alastair Hill from Powertech Transformers receives the Best Company in Powertech award from Norbert Claussen on behalf of CEO Leon Viljoen and the team.

Best Company in Powertech for 2011Nominees● Swanib Cables ● Powertech Transformers ● Willard Batteries

Winner: Powertech TransformersPowertech Transformers achieved record profi t levels in an extremely competitive market. Its recent Eskom order of over R1 billion contributes to a strong order book. The leadership team has improved both the company’s environmental and empowerment targets, and is making excellent progress towards improved internal technology on the transformer front. Earnings improved by a massive 43% with a return on capital employed of 44%.

Alastair Hill from Powertech Transformers receives the Best Johan Gellatly accepts the Altech ISIS award on behalf of the

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Deidre Le Hanie, MD of Byes Managed Solutions, receives the award from Rob Abraham on behalf of Fourie van der Merwe’s team.

Bytes CEO’s AwardNominees● Tony Monik of Bytes Systems Integration● Nicole Goodacre of Bytes Corporate Offi ce● The Retail ATM management team of Bytes Managed Solutions

Winner: The Retail ATM management team of Bytes Managed SolutionsDemonstrating extraordinary collaboration between different disciplines, yet sharing a common objective, this team achieved an exceptional turnaround in the highly competitive retail ATM business. From a disastrous set of circumstances in the previous year, the business yielded an operating profi t in excess of R13 million and is budgeting further signifi cant improvements during the year ahead. Congratulations to the combined efforts of Fourie van der Merwe, Dirk Eksteen, Marius Bester, Benny Chetty, Maryna Louw, Jeanette van der Spuy and Joe Barbosa.

Bernhard Wilcocks, project director of the Northam Platinum project team, receives his team’s award from Norbert Claussen.

Powertech CEO’s AwardNominees● Adolf Erasmus of Powertech Batteries● Silas Moloko of TIS● Powertech IST’s Northam Platinum Project Team

Winner: Northam Platinum Project Team of Powertech ISTNortham Platinum approached Powertech IST in May last year after a gas explosion damaged their electrostatic precipitator (ESP). The ESP had to be demolished and the entire unit rebuilt – on a fast track basis. Through astute planning and diligent implementation, the project team successfully executed the R29-million contract in a mere 20 weeks. This all time fi rst has positioned Powertech IST as a fi erce competitor in gas cleaning for the mineral processing market in South Africa.

Altech CEO’s AwardNominees● Harry Louw, MD of Altech Netstar● Derek Chaplin, MD of Altech Card Solutions● Johan Gellatly, group executive, Altech IT ● Russell Futter, country manager of Altech UEC, Australia

Winner: Derek ChaplinDuring the past 10 years, following the merger of Africard and Altech Smart Card Technologies, Derek has consistently made an excellent contribution to the well being of the Altech group. He is creative and innovative in establishing new markets for the company and runs a very tight ship. As a result, ACS delivers positive growth, year after year. He has also created numerous income streams and is widely admired in the banking industry, even being certifi ed by Euro MasterCard.

In the past fi nancial year, revenue of his operation has increased by 27%, operating income by 19% and profi t after tax by 20%.

Derek Chaplin, MD of Altech Card Solutions receives the CEO's Award from Craig Venter.

They came, they saw,they had a fabulous timeIndustry leaders and company executives from across the Altron group joined in the celebration of excellence at the Altron Annual Awards.

Solly Moloko, Dr Venter, Robbie Venter and Kgathola Ngoasheng.

Above: The chairman of the Altron Young Presidents Club, Anandran (Wayne) Munilall, addressed senior executives on issues that the group's future leaders are dealing with. He was joined on stage by members of his 2011 executive committee: (from left) Katarina Coetzer, Itumeleng Mothobi, Jayesh Reddy, Belinda Labuschagne and Gregory van den Heever.

Teboho Mankga (left) and Janica Nhlapo.

From left: Shenanda Janse van Rensburg, Dave Hawkins, Ken Vermaak and Candice Frank.

From left: Michelle Doyle, Johan Basson, Peter Vieira, Glen Christopulo and JC Kruger. Shahista Pillay, MC Riaad Moosa and

Roshana Jansen.

From left: Joe Makhafola, Itumeleng Mothobi and Dumisa Manana.

18 AWARDS PROFILE 19

he Momentum Cycle Challenge has a mountain bike category that takes place on 13 November (entries close

17 October) and a road category that takes place on 20 November (entries close 3 October). It is an amazing opportunity to ride on the roads of Johannesburg without traffi c concerns!

To enter either of these races visit www.cyclechallenge.co.za.

The Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge is taking place in November; now is the time to start training for it. We’ll show you how.

to do road riding, buy a road bike – it’s much lighter and faster.

Make sure that you purchase your bike from a reputable bike shop like Cycle Lab, Dunkeld Cycles, Tour De Frans or Linden Cycles. They will ensure that the bike is the correct size for you and do a set-up – this is very important for rider-comfort and will limit injuries.

Invest in a good pair of cycle shorts, a helmet and cycling gloves. These are available at most bike shops mentioned above and sports stores like Sportsman’s Warehouse. All South African race organisers adopt a “no helmet, no ride” policy.

If you are brave enough, buy clip-in cycle shoes. These take some time to get used to but result in a much more effec-tive pedal stroke, ie, you’ll be faster!

Hints and tips:• A lot of your training can be done at

home or in the gym, but when you ride on the road, be careful. Ride in the same direction as the cars and make sure you are visible. Wear bright/refl ective gear and use hand signals when you are going to turn. It is always best to ride in a group.

• Make sure that you stay hydrated when you train and race. Drink at least 350ml per hour to avoid dehydration and cramps; even more if it is a very hot day. On race day, have one bottle of carbohydrate drink and one of plain water handy. Practice to drink while you ride. Stop at the water points to refi ll your bottles if you need to.

• Try to do some group rides before the race – riding with many people can be daunting. Ask your local cycle shop about group rides in your area. Alternately join a club like Cycle Lab or MTN Club 100.

Good luck !

Tell us about your race! Or if you have any questions email us at profi [email protected]

Week Day Time RPE CourseWeek 1 Monday Rest

Tuesday 30 min 5 FlatWednesday RestThursday 1 hr 4 Flat

Friday RestSaturday 30 min 5 Easy UndulatingSunday 1 hr 4 Easy Undulating

Week 2 Monday RestTuesday 30 min 5 Flat

Wednesday RestThursday 45 min 4 Moderate Hills

Friday RestSaturday 45 min 5 Easy UndulatingSunday 1.5 hrs 4 Undulating





Wednesday RestThursday 45 min 4 Flat

Friday RestSaturday 30 min 4 Easy UndulatingSunday 45 min 4 Easy Undulating






Friday RestSaturday 1 hr 6 UndulatingSunday 1.5 hrs 5 Undulating

Week Day Time RPE CourseWeek 7 Monday Rest

Tuesday 30 min 7 FlatWednesday RestThursday 45 min 5 Flat

Friday RestSaturday 1 hr 7 Hard HillsSunday 2 hr 5 Undulating



Friday RestSaturday 45 min 6 Moderate HillsSunday 1.5 hrs 5 Undulating



Friday RestSaturday 1 hr 8 Hard HillsSunday 2 hrs 6 Undulating


Wednesday RestThursday 45 min 7

Friday RestSaturday 1.5 hrs 8 Hard HillsSunday 2 hrs 6 Undulating



Friday RestSaturday 1.5 hrs 8 Hard HillsSunday 2.5 hrs 6 Undulating



Friday RestSaturday 45 min 5 Moderate HillsSunday 1.5 hrs 5 Undulating

• RPE= Rate of Perceived Exertion, measured on a scale from 1 to 10. (1= easy and 10= very hard)

• If the course requires hills/undulation and you are training indoors, change your resistance setting frequently.

Before you startIf you are currently unfi t, see your doctor before you start the training programme.

Borrow or, better yet, invest in a bike. If you are unsure whether you are inter-ested in road or mountain biking, it may be best to buy a mountain bike fi rst, because it is more versatile. You will be able to do off-road races on “knobbly tires” and road races by changing to “slicks”. If you know that you only want

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WELLNESS PROFILE20 WELLNESS PROFILE 21

Technology rocks! I love that I can stay in touch, get my work done and access information wherever I am. In this, my own corner of Profi le, I will in future review some of the latest and greatest gadgets and apps on offer.

ALLY’S TECH CORNER

On 15 July Altron became the fi rst ICT company in South Africa to hold its AGM via videoconferencing. What makes this achieve-ment even more remarkable is that in-house technology was used to link up Parktown and Cape Town.

In terms of the new Companies Act of 2008, it must be reasonably possible for sharehold-ers to participate electronically in the share-holders’ meeting of a public company. In the spirit of compliance and best governance

practices, Altron implemented this provision by setting up video conferencing facilities in the Bytes offi ces in Cape Town. This allowed institutional investors, fund managers and individual shareholders in the greater Cape Town metropolitan area to “attend” and participate in the AGM held in Johannesburg. The venues were connected real-time and participants could hear, see and speak with each other.

A new age in AGMs

App of the monthWhatsApp Messenger is a cross-platform mobile messaging app which allows you to exchange mes-sages without having to pay for SMS. It is available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Nokia and yes, these phones can all message each other! Because WhatsApp Messenger uses the same internet data plan that you use for email and web browsing, sending un-limited images, video and audio media messages to your friends is absolutely free.

Visit www.whatsapp.com for more information.

Gadget of the monthWith the IRB Rugby World Cup just around the corner, you will be thrilled to know that you can now take your sport with you thanks to the DStv Drifta decoder. The Drifta converts a DVB-H signal into a Wi-Fi signal for laptops, PCs, tablets and smartphones. It is small, ultra-portable and rechargeable with up to three hours of viewing. To use Drifta you need:• To be in a DVB-H coverage area; and• An iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad running iOS 4.0; or• A Windows PC, laptop or notebook running Windows XP,

Vista and 7. The service is free for DStv premium subscribers. DStv compact subscribers and non-subscribers pay only R36 per month.

Visit www.dstv.co.za for more information

Connect with AllyTell me about your favourite apps

and gadgets, comment on my review or ask a question:

[email protected]

will be thrilled to know that you can now take your sport with you thanks to the DStv Drifta decoder. The Drifta converts a DVB-H signal into a Wi-Fi signal for laptops, PCs, tablets and smartphones. It is small, ultra-portable and rechargeable with

• A Windows PC, laptop or notebook running Windows XP,

Is access to your network as restricted as you think?

Without adequate security in place, your network, your data, your secrets… are public domain. Which is exactly why you should contact Altech Card Solutions’ e-Security Division. With our advanced, integrated solutions we can make sure you stay one step ahead of potential attacks and keep unwelcome intruders out. Contact e-Security today and allow us to demonstrate how our products and services can help keep you and your company secure.

Tel: +27 11 879 5700 Fax: +27 11 879 5801

E-Mail: [email protected] www.acs.altech.co.za

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Documents

Mind the generation gap - Words' Worth profile_4_2011.pdf · MAGAZINE FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE ALTRON GROUP ISSUE 4/2011 UEC’s new story factory Mind the generation gap DMA and