Digital technology solutions provider Ansys has embarked on a significant rebranding to breathe new life into its business units and reflect its new position as a diversified digital technology group.

Now evolved into Etion, representing ‘energy in action’, the AltX-listed group has changed the DNA of its business, transformed its organisational structure and shifted how it operates to fit into its core ethos of innovation, energy and action using the value chain ‘Create. Digitise. Connect. Secure.’

The newly transformed organisational structure aligns to the group’s growth strategy, with new business units housing new solutions and offerings to new horizontal market segments established to unlock and broaden value for customers, says Etion CEO Teddy Daka.

The group’s mining, industrial, defence and cybersecurity units have transformed into Original Design Manufacturing, which, as a business, designs, develops and manufactures a wide range of advanced electronic and digital products for internal and external customers.

This business is responsible for the ‘create’ component of the value chain, Daka says, with plans in place to continue investing proactively in developing its own intellectual property.

The rail division has transitioned into Safety and Productivity Solutions to enable the provision of digital safety and environment management systems that range from sensors, fully integrated asset management, telematics technologies, Internet of Things technologies, robotics, mechatronics and complete maintenance services.

This business falls under the ‘digitise’ component of the value chain.

“Customers in the mining and rail sectors, in particular, continue to seek digital solutions to enhance safety, maximise efficiencies and improve productivity. Digitalising operations is a key focus for these customers and this presents the group with many new and sustainable opportunities,” he explains.

Meanwhile, the former telecommunications unit has become Digital Network Solutions, under the ‘connect’ element, and will offer a comprehensive range of connectivity and communications products, solutions and services that include fibre and wireless deployment, data and digital radio communications networks and network monitoring, as well as power-related infrastructure solutions.

The ‘secure’ portion of the value chain is represented by the newly introduced segment, Cyber Security Solutions, which provides essential cybersecurity solutions and services in electronic business transactions through identification technologies, biometric solutions, digital signatures, authentication and encryption.

“Systems, data [and] networks are more vulnerable to cyberthreats than they have ever been before. The cybersecurity market is growing at a rapid rate, owing to an unprecedented increase in criminal activity,” he explains.

The overall restructure enables Etion to become more outcomes- and client-focused and introduce group-level shared services and centralise some functions, including finance and human resources.

“To this effect, the group insourced the marketing and communication function to facilitate customer care and the organisation’s rebranding initiative and to champion the creation of a single core identity for the group, as well as to streamline the group’s marketing efforts,” Daka points out.

The greater integration at an operational level is also expected to bring about extended opportunities that will deliver a steadily increasing demand for Etion’s products, services and solutions, including options for expansions in the rest of Africa and the Middle East, and expanding into Australasia with its cybersecurity products.

Along with an increased focus on expansion into sectors and segments, Etion continues to explore suitable acquisitions that will support growth in revenue.