Pace and MultiChoice work with South Africa's Vektronix to build DStv Explora

Pace and Multichoice commit to business growth in South Africa

Pace plc (LSE: PIC), in partnership with MultiChoice, announced today that it is working with local manufacturer Vektronix to assemble and deliver MultiChoice’s new HD PVR decoder, the DStv Explora.

Collins Khumalo, CEO of MultiChoice South Africa commented, “We are pleased that Pace is manufacturing the DStv Explora in South Africa. This will contribute positively to skills development, local economic development and job creation in the manufacturing, logistics and sales sectors of our economy.”

Pace is already a technology partner with MultiChoice for the existing HD PVR. The partnership between the two companies first started in 1995 with the development of MultiChoice’s very first PVR decoder.

Shane McCarthy, President of Pace International, commented, “We are proud to be selected by MultiChoice to deliver their latest generation decoder. It is testament to the advanced, user-friendly and robust Pace set top boxes that MultiChoice’s HD customers have been using since 2008. The deal extends our global HD leadership – Pace’s HD expertise, customer base and technological capability – that is unrivalled by our competitors.”

Mass production of MultiChoice’s DStv Explora product started in July 2013 at Vektronix.

Mark Merigot, Senior Vice President of Operation at Pace, said “Setting up remote facilities can be challenging and we’d like to thank our long standing customer MultiChoice and local manufacturing partner Vektronix for their support. This is a significant investment for Pace and underlines our commitment for business and growth in the region.”

Having a manufacturing facility in South Africa enables Pace to locally supply set top boxes to operators in South Africa and into Southern African Development Community countries.

Craig Tyzack, MD at Vektronix, stated that the company “was equally proud to have been selected to manufacture Pace’s leading-edge products, and that this project was testament to the fact that South African manufacturers have the ability to produce to world-class standards.”

The DStv Explora will be available in retail from 15 August 2013.