Dedicated to the technology sector, Sistec, which stands out for its services in the areas of cybersecurity, also decided to bet on a segment in the area of renewable energy.
"What led us to embrace the project is the realization of problems in the energy sector, especially in the interior of the country in the most remote areas. With the renewable energy segment, we can assemble low cost equipment for the supply of electricity with an investment of more than two million dollars, but the process is dynamic," said António Candeias, president of the board of directors of Sistec, in an interview to the newspaper O País.
The responsible also made it known that the interest of companies in this branch has been noticed. "We have already made some sales" for the renewable energy segment, he said, adding that "in the coming months" they will start with advertising campaigns.
In the interview, the head also talked about how the pandemic has changed the company's strategy a bit. Admitting that covid-19 did not come to ease the business environment, António Candeias indicated that they have suffered a break in fracturing. "At this moment we are dealing with the closing of the accounts, we still don't have definitive numbers. I believe that the drop in invoicing is around 20 percent", he revealed.
In addition to the drop in invoicing, the importation of equipment was also affected. "There was a set of external factors in the company that limit the activity and we had difficulty in making payments abroad," he said.
According to the responsible, the company imports equipment from several countries among which Portugal, Holland, China and South Africa. However, the list of imports is led by Dubai, United States of America and Italy, which have "regional servers".
About the investment, António Candeias told O País that there was a reduction in the order of 35 percent and revealed that per year, the company makes investments "around 10 million dollars.
According to Candeias, the company currently has 10 stores open: seven in Luanda, one in Benguela, one in Huíla and one in Huambo. "We open a new store in the beginning of 2020. At this stage, we have two more stores under rehabilitation, in order to increase the product offer to our customers. There is still a lot of bureaucracy and it causes some constraints", he said.
Revealing that since the beginning of the crisis they were forced to close 10 stores, António Candeias didn't rule out the hypothesis of these stores opening again. According responsible everything will depend on the evolution of the economy, because the company has not disposed of the premises of the stores. "We are waiting for conditions", he stressed.
António Candeias also talked about the distinctions that the company has been receiving. "The attribution of certificates and distinction boils down to one word: work. We have internal training permanently. We invest in quality equipment, we guarantee technical assistance in the products we sell. For example, since the beginning of the Superbrand every year we are elected for the prize", he said.
Located in Luanda, the company opened its doors in June 1991, with 30 employees. "At the time, it had only photocopier area and the computer, later developed other sectors (...). We reached our peak in 2014 with a presence in several provinces namely, Cabinda, Bengo, Saurimo, Uíge, Cuanza Sul, Huambo, Benguela, Huíla, Namibe and Bié, with 1500 workers. In December 2019, we were forced to lay off 50 percent of the workers. Already in 2020, we maintain the jobs. Currently, with the covid-19 problem, we keep 30 percent of the workers at home doing telecommuting."
"Right now, we are improving the existing infrastructure. However, we want to continue to grow, despite the economic crisis and the covid-19 pandemic. Since the beginning of the crisis, we have been in a continuous restoration phase," he added.
In three decades, Sistec has trained more than 50,000 trainees. "I think we are the oldest training center in the country. We have been in this segment for 30 years, and initially we started with computer courses in the user's perspective, spreadsheets, foreign languages, secretarial work, and stock management. We have a professional training center that gives the following courses: initial excel, computing, hardware, executive secretarial, accounting, human resources management, advanced excel", he said.
As far as social responsibility is concerned, the company has developed several "actions to support and sponsor culture and sports. Initiatives such as the São Silvestre race in Luanda or the support to comic books, among others, have left an indelible mark", he concluded.
