Keepers of the information age
Mbongeni Mguni | Friday January 29, 2016 15:57
Prior to the news last week that Africa’s largest information management group, Metrofile Holdings Limited, had bought Document Bank Botswana, the local company largely flew under the radar of public attention.
For many, Document Bank Botswana is merely a landmark in the office parks of eastern Gaborone. Few are aware that the 24-year-old company has played an integral role in the technological revolution of the past two decades that has supported the growth of the services sector.
From a paper-based existence two decades ago, key sectors such as banking and insurance have blossomed around rapid growth in information technology. Outsourcing data management to a third party provides great returns in terms of cost savings, risk and the benefits that come with delegating non-core responsibilities to those with the capability and experience.
Document Bank Botswana has kept up with the change, providing critically needed secure data storage and management services for the large volumes of information these sectors produce.
In the early days, Swanepoel recalls, Document Bank Botswana provided elementary document storage needs, appropriate with the technology of the time.
The technology was microfilm and microfiche, both being highly scaled down reproductions of documents for storage, reading and printing. Microfilm and microfiche images are commonly reduced to about one twenty-fifth of the original document size, allowing greater storage. “Initially, we started by converting paper to microfilm and microfiche,” Swanepoel says. “In the mid-90s, we began expanding into document storage, providing facilities for that.” The expansion into document storage marked a milestone for Document Bank Botswana as the company had to secure the space for the volumes that began coming in.
Unlike other document solutions’ players of the time, Swanepoel was not content with merely being a ‘landlord’ providing space for storage. He moved to document management, a move that set him in good stead for the rapid technological advances that were to come in information management.
“We went from microfilm, to paper storage and management, to scanning of the paper, which moved us to the digital era,” he says.
“Once we were working with digital images, we needed a system to manage that and this gave rise to electronic data management, which we are doing today.”
Quickly rising to the top of the local market, it was not long before Document Bank Botswana caught the eye of other market leaders. Metrofile soon became acquainted with Document Bank through the network of shared clients.
In many cases, the local company would service clients whose headquarters were in South Africa, Metrofile’s home soil.
“It was not difficult for them to establish what we were doing here.”
The transaction involves Metrofile acquiring full equity in Document Bank, bringing the local firm into the African leader’s stable and presence across the continent. For 33 years, Metrofile has grown its presence across the continent and today boasts a physical footprint in South Africa, Mozambique, Nigeria, Zambia and the United Arab Emirates and services contracts all over Africa.
The Document Bank transaction allows the Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed Metrofile to establish a physical presence in Botswana.
“The local management and operating team will remain the same and the Document Bank brand will also remain the same as it is already established.” “We will still be known as Document Bank Botswana, but we will be a member of the Metrofile group.”
“We will be a part of the solutions that are offered internationally, providing the greatest benefit to clients.” “We will introduce a range of new products with value add for clients, adding to the basket of solutions that we have.”
From a standalone private company, Swanepoel now becomes part of a listed entity, which comes with a range of obligations and commitments. “There will be changes in terms of what Metrofile requires for reporting and other standards,” the director explains.
“They are a listed group and they have different requirements in terms of reporting.
“Also, there will be changes to the Safety, Health and Environment policy to make sure that we perform in line with the group’s requirements.”
Times are again changing for Document Bank, but as Swanepoel explains, the latest developments are the most preferred natural growth pattern for companies in the information solutions sector. “In our particular business, it is inevitable that you need to become part of a group that has a footprint outside your own country,” Swanepoel explains.
“Our natural growth is about, in some way, being part of an international group either by expanding as part of an entity, or through a transaction such as this one.”
Document Bank Botswana’s clients will be pleased to know that the services and support they receive are of the same high standards enjoyed by their peers across the continent.