US-based RSA Security has closed its offices in SA but will retain a presence through an indirect channel model.
The international parent has been winding down operations since October last year and ceased its direct presence in SA in April.
Peter Burgess, former head of RSA Security in SA, has set up a joint venture with JSE-listed Hicor to form a distribution company to service the RSA Security products. The new company, LSC, is a subsidiary of Hicor and operates out of Hicor`s offices.
According to Burgess, support for the RSA products will remain with resellers, with additional support from the UK offices.
Burgess says the decision to close doors in SA was part of the Massachusetts head office`s rationalisation plan, which also saw a number of smaller European operations opt for an indirect sales model.
Products in the RSA range include the RSA SecurID two-factor authentication, RSA ClearTrust Web access management, RSA BSAFE encryption and RSA Keon digital certificate management.
RSA has been going through a tough time on the financial front, but Burgess says the company seems to be turning the corner.
The Nasdaq-listed group reported revenue of $282.7 million for the 2001 financial year, and in the company`s second-quarter results to June, it said it derived 61% of its revenue from its indirect sales model.
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