Company Profile & History
The company was established in 1961 by Mr S. Rössler in Walvis Bay, with main emphasis on Marine Electronics. With the retirement of Mr S. Rössler in 1992, the company was restructured to a Close Corporation (c.c.), with the following members: Mr U.W.H. Eisel, Mr G.B. Heitmann, Mr G.F. Rössler & Mr L.R.P. Zahradnicky.
At that stage, Namibia attained independence from South Africa, and the company actively pursued direct representation for overseas manufacturers, whose products were previously purchased from a South African importer or distributor.
During the years, the company expanded, and besides for the head office which is located in Walvis Bay, the main Namibian harbor town, a branch in Windhoek, the capital city, was also established.
From the Windhoek Office we provide mainly for the Land-mobile Satellite Communication, Navigation, HF-Radio & Land-mobile Radio Markets, as well as the provision of a rental service for Satellite Telephones.
A further major component is the provision of high-quality products for the Alternative Energy and Power Back-up Markets, such as Inverters, Converters, Battery Chargers and specialized Batteries from Victron Energy B.V. in the Netherlands. The customer base in Windhoek consists mainly of Corporate and Government clients. From there we also conduct limited business with customers from Angola and other neighboring countries.
During 2014/2015, three of the four members retired, and their shares were taken over by 4 new members: Mr G.B. Heitmann (existing member), Mr R Rothkegel, Mr J Wormsbacher, Mr H Schrader and Mr F du Toit. All 5 directors (called members in a c.c.) are working employees of the company, whom now employ a total number of 27 employees.
Today Radio Electronic c.c. specializes in Marine Electronics, Radio and Satellite Communications and in importing and distributing various specialized electronic equipment lines in Namibia.
Radio Electronic is the largest company in Namibia dealing in Marine Electronics, with an estimated market share of 80% and the leader in the provision of Inmarsat Satellite
Products and Services and Digital Radio Solutions.
We also provide Regional Radio Communication Services in the Erongo Region, with VHF Radio Community Repeaters strategically located at our own Radio High Sites in Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, on Rössing Mountain and Grootberg Mountain. Numerous corporate, mining, government and utility clients make use of this existing network.
In 2008, the Radio Systems Division was added in order to address the more sophisticated Radio Communication requirements of mining, corporate and government clients all over Namibia. Radio Electronic is continuously engaged in the realization of local and regional digital radio networks and has qualified and competent staff to realise complex and large projects.
We can provide customer-specific solutions based on Digital Radio Technologies, such as TETRA, Motorola MotoTrbo™ or other radio systems. Radio Electronic CC became the largest authorised and accredited Motorola reseller and channel partner in Namibia and holds stock of various equipment’s at its warehouse in Windhoek and Walvis Bay.
We are the only Motorola dealer in Namibia that have done the Linked Capacity Plus certification and are able design and implement large trunking system based on the MotoTrbo Topology. In addition we hold the CRAN type approval certificates for all MotoTrbo Products.
In 2018, Radio Electronic was awarded the Class Comprehensive Telecommunication Service License (ECS & ECNS) by the Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia. This enabled Radio Electronic to use their existing high site infrastructure more effectively by offering also broadband services. In 2019 Radio Electronic launched the Blue Air Fibre product offering into the market. With our Blue Air Fibre we are able to offer fibre like connectivity to areas where no physical fibre is available. Today we are a fully licensed Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) with a growing subscriber base.
The company places heavy emphasis on technical and service back-up and the workshops are fully equipped to support products that are sold, providing installation, repair and service. For products sold and represented, adequate stock of spare parts and consumables are kept. Through a continuous program of technical training, reliable, efficient and dedicated staff of specialized and experienced technicians and engineers are available to support all the products offered. We are registered with the Namibian and South African Engineering councils and adhere to their professional code of conduct. In addition, we are Affirmative Action compliant in line with the Affirmative Action Act of 1998, Section 41.
The overall customer base is extensive and covers many players in the fishing industry, in government departments down to local authorities, Telecom, Water, Electricity and other utilities, mining, the farming community, commerce, travel and tourism industry and selected re-sellers or dealers for products we import and distribute. We take part in selected local exhibitions from time to time in order to introduce new products and services and also make product presentations from time to time of specific products to selected target groups.
We have in-house IT capabilities and are resellers for computer equipment and accessories; but limit our sales of IT equipment to specialized systems for specific market segments. As an on-going process of diversification, we are continuously engaged in the search for new technologies and products to include in our product portfolio.
In 2020 Radio Electronic established a subsidiary
Blue Telecommunications PTY LTD and transferred its Class Comprehensive (ECS&ECNS) telecommunication service license. Blue Telecommunications focuses on providing communication services based on satellite, broadband and narrowband technology.
The motivating driver for an own subsidiary was to ring-fence operations and to achieve a dedicated focus on the telecommunication business.
Blue Telecommunications PTY LTD is a 100% Namibian owned licensed telecommunication operator, expanding our service area all over Namibia.
We build on our experience and established infrastructure, and are proud to introduce our Blue Telecommunications service offering to you. The BlueAirfiber is new in Namibia and allows users to experience fiber like connections where no physical fiber is in place.
We achieve this through our Carrier Class Microwave Broadband network to offer guaranteed throughput to end-users, for any industry as well as home users. The current BlueAirFiber coverage area includes the larger Windhoek area and the central coastal region. This includes Brackwater, Daan Viljoen, Seeis, Dordabis, Arandis, Swakopmund, Henties Bay, Rossmund and Nonidas.
Other services include V-Sat systems, surveillance and access control solutions as well as extensive two-way radio systems.
On Thursday the 9th of April 2020 a milestone was reached in the history of Radio Electronic when the Sales and Purchase Agreement was signed between Grupo Arbulu and Radio Electronic.
Radio Electronic is now a new proud member of the Group Arbulu companies and changed from a Closed Corporation to a PTY LTD.
Grupo Arbulu is comprised of a group of companies that each specialize in their respective fields of marine electronics, satellite communications and IT solutions onboard vessels. Their common goals of innovation and quality are achieved by pooling resources and expertise.
With a strong international partner, the merger brought a lot of positive changes to the organization. It made the company stronger, more competitive in the market, and with increased resources, we will be able to ensure aggressive growth in the markets that we serve.
Radio Electronic will remain independently managed lead by the existing management team and staff and will continue to focus on providing specialized solutions in the following industries:
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marine electronics,
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critical communications,
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power systems,
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consumer electronics.