First Distribution to distribute Impro in Africa

Issue 9 2020 News & Events

Impro Technologies is one of the latest products to be distributed by First Distribution’s Digital Security and IoT division. Impro has been in business since 1986 and forms part of the ASSA ABLOY group. The company’s products are installed at a large number of universities, mines and residential estates in South Africa as well as numerous secure facilities.

First Distribution has identified the opportunity to physically secure buildings, estates, mines and educational facilitates with leading technology from Impro Technologies and other partners such as IDEMIA and Suprema.

David Simpson, general manager for Digital Security and IoT at First Distribution (FD), said: “The reason for partnering with Impro is because it is a well-established leader in the access control sector, an important part of our security offering. Impro has been in the industry for well over 20 years and that wealth of knowledge and activity adds value to our business and the business of our customers. At FD we always aim to build long lasting relationships with all our vendors, we have a lengthy process in choosing a vendor and this was no exception. We believe that this is the beginning of a fantastic partnership. Impro has shown us what is up and coming in terms of new technology and we are very excited.”

Giles Calenborne, managing director of Impro Technologies, added, “Through our agreement with First Distribution we’re able to further expand our footprint in South Africa as well as into key strategic markets in Africa. Although we have a network of distributors across the globe, Africa is a key growth area for us and through this partnership we are able to increase our representation on the continent – most specifically within Kenya and the surrounding regions.

“We also see access control extending further into the ICT sector. This is already happening today with the convergence of physical and logical access as users look for a convenient, seamless experience, and this will continue to increase as we deploy elements such as IoT, AI and the cloud – all areas that First Distribution is already addressing.”

Impro Technologies has been pioneering the South African access control industry for over 30 years, and today supplies thousands of customers spanning over 60 countries and four continents.


Credit(s)




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Woolworths attack raises bomb preparedness questions
News & Events
Two explosions have been reported at Woolworths stores in South Africa over the past week. SMART Security Solutions asked Jimmy Roodt, an experienced and accredited explosive ordnance disposal specialist from Gauntlet Security Solutions, for his insight into the events.

Read more...
Growing adoption of AI at work
News & Events AI & Data Analytics
AI adoption accelerates worldwide, with South Africa making gains amid uneven diffusion. Locally, South Africa ranks 46th of 147 economies measured, and its AI usage increased to 23,1% in Q1 2026.

Read more...
Enterprise AI hits the wall
News & Events AI & Data Analytics
Demands for AI privacy and sovereignty expose the limits of architectures built for centralised and borderless data flows. Organisations that redesign early are gaining a measurable edge in AI readiness and scale.

Read more...
71% of organisations suffered an identity breach
News & Events Information Security
The State of Identity Security 2026 report from Sophos finds human error and poor non-human identity management are the root causes of most attacks, as agentic AI accelerates the risk.

Read more...
From the Editor's desk: Security goes mainstream
Technews Publishing News & Events
      Welcome to SMART Security’s SMART Mining & Industrial Security Handbook 2026. While the world is focused on cybersecurity and AI, physical security has become a board-level concern across South Africa’s ...

Read more...
Global security in 2026
Editor's Choice News & Events Security Services & Risk Management Industrial (Industry) Mining (Industry)
The World Security Report 2026 states: “In a world of increasing volatility, physical security has evolved. It is no longer just a defensive measure; it is a critical driver of corporate value.”

Read more...
Industry perspective on industrial cybersecurity
Technews Publishing News & Events Infrastructure Industrial (Industry)
The Industrial Security Harmonization Group has released a joint industry perspective highlighting a critical truth in industrial cybersecurity: secure communication is not determined by protocols alone, but by how they are deployed and managed in real-world environments.

Read more...
Aerial firefighter training revolution
Fire & Safety News & Events
Sophisticated new flight simulation software capable of accurately modelling the performance of firefighting helicopters could help train pilots to tackle wildfires more effectively and safely in the future.

Read more...
PoPIA turns its attention to gated access
News & Events Security Services & Risk Management
The Information Regulator has gazetted its proposed Code of Conduct for the processing of personal information at gated access points. At 65 pages long, the code signals a significant shift in how personal information is collected and managed at entry points.

Read more...
Surge in AI-enabled cybercrime and a 389% increase in ransomware
News & Events Information Security
Cybercrime no longer functions as a series of isolated campaigns; it operates as a system, with malicious hackers operating across an end-to-end life cycle and compressing the attack life cycle with shadow agents.

Read more...










While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd. | All Rights Reserved.