ICT Industry in Kenya: Avtech Systems Limited, A Specialist in Audio-Visual Technology

Interview with Ahmed Ben Bella, Business Director at Avtech Systems Limited

What is your assessment of the sector in Kenya? What are the latest trends? Is it a competitive market?

We are within the ICT industry, but particularly in the audio video subsector. In the last five years, we have seen quite a growth in terms of the acceptance of audio-visual technology within organizations. Unlike ten years ago where it was strange, now, it has become more or less standard within office spaces and the hospitality industry. We have done heavy integration with a number of organizations. It is a growing sector with the acceptance that it has gained. With many of the global multinationals also opening locally, that growth is set to rise in the next two or three years. In terms of competitiveness, we have few players in the AV industry in Kenya and the region.

What does Avtech Systems Limited offer? What are your competitive advantages?

In the next three to five years, our vision is to have Avtech Systems Limited as the preferred AV system integrator within the region. We will only achieve this by investing in the latest technologies and having the right personnel.

Avtech Systems Limited is 17 years old. We started operations in 2002. We started with the audio-visual equipment rental business. We have now moved to system integration within the audio-visual industry. We take different items or products and make them communicate with each other. We have been doing system integration over the last ten years. We have many competitive advantages. One of them is that we are authorized dealers for some world leading brands, which means that we source directly from original equipment manufacturers. Secondly, we have invested a lot in the training of technical personnel. Our engineers have factory training which means they are able to handle any challenges in the industry. Our third advantage is that we have been in the market for the last 17 years, so we understand the industry, inside and out. We know what is coming up. We are able to give references from the past and previous clients. Competition is not only about the product, but pricing. The fact that we buy directly from manufacturers means that we are able to price competitively and win most of the contracts that we bid for.

What international manufacturers do you work with?

We work with JVC from Japan for professional video broadcast. For audio, we have RCF from Italy which is a world leader in terms of public address, safety, voice alarm systems. Another partner we have is ViewSonic from the US which does collaboration or smart boards which has gained a lot of acceptance in learning institutions, corporate meeting spaces, boardrooms, etc. Christie Digital Systems from the US we use for all our projectors and projection equipment.

What is your international reach?

We are presently based in Nairobi but we have done projects within East and Central Africa. In Tanzania, we did the East African Community Assembly. We have done projects in Rwanda, Uganda, and the farthest that we have done a project is DRC or Congo. Our offices are in Nairobi in Kenya, but we have been able to do projects outside Kenya.

People are often not aware of the value of this service and that it requires a lot of skills and technicality. Is the sector not well understood?

The audio-visual industry is a subsector within the ICT industry which requires particular and special skills which have been lacking in the market. In terms of even the technical personnel, once we hire them, we have to train them again within the AV sector so they have a better understanding. It is not only limited to the personnel we have employed but goes beyond even to the consultants we work with. We mostly work with consultants, but they do not have a proper understanding of the AV industry. If he is an electric engineer, he still might not understand this subsector. We have gone a step farther in most cases to assist them in coming up with design. It requires a lot of investment which our partners have been quite helpful with.

What kind of market is there in Kenya? Is it more client or supplier?

It is more on the client side. When you talk about the market sector, we are talking about banking institutions. Most banking institutions with corporate offices require audio visual equipment. In the hospitality sector, major hotels require AV equipment. Churches or houses of worship have invested in AV technology. You can find churches with good sound systems and video walls. The educational sector is a big consumer of audio-visual equipment. Most schools or learning institutions are moving from the traditional blackboard into interactive screens or touch screens. AV encompasses nearly all the sectors within the industry in terms of clients.

What are some of your success stories?

We have done some very interesting projects. One project was the National Assembly which is the Parliament here in Kenya. This involved a lot of challenges and equipment. All the MPs and delegates are able to register and vote from the comfort of their chairs and they can see themselves on the big screen. It was a massive project, approximately 2.5 million, and so far, the biggest AV project done here locally. The second project was in the educational sector. We did what is known as telemedicine at a learning institution. Previously, the university had had challenges where 100 students would gather around an operating table to witness a lifesaving operation taking place. We installed equipment so the students would be in their classrooms and the doctor or teacher would be in the operating theater alone. The students could see and interact with the lecturer online directly. They are now even able to get a third opinion where someone from a different country, for example, the US, can join and be able to interact. That was one of our biggest projects, maybe not in terms of value, but in terms of within the educational sector. The third project is mostly in hotels. We are the preferred AV supplier in all the major hotels such as Sankara, Kempinski, Radisson Blue, and other major hotels within the country.

Are you looking for partnerships or investors?

It would be something that is worth looking at. We have always wanted to expand beyond Kenya. We have had some projects outside of Kenya, but they have been on a call basis. The AV industry in the next few years is gong to blow up. With the multinationals’ offices setting up within the region, we want to move outside Kenya and operate regionally. That also comes with its own challenges in terms of financing such a move. We are open to it. The next thing we would want to do is see who can engage and partner with us so that we can spread throughout the region.

What is your medium-term vision? What do want to achieve in two to three years’ time?

In the next three to five years, our vision is to have Avtech Systems Limited as the preferred AV system integrator within the region. We will only achieve this by investing in the latest technologies and having the right personnel. We also see ourselves going beyond the borders of Kenya in the next three years.

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