Gridhost.co.za has rebranded to 1-Grid.com, allowing the hosting company to differentiate its offering and boost visibility in the global search rankings.

The rebrand forms part of 1-Grid’s 10-year vision to transform the company into a specialised online application platform, with a focus on small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

“As an easily searchable domain, .com gives us a reputable platform from which to engage with our customers and new markets,” says company head Thomas Vollrath. “This will allow us to grow both locally and globally and innovate our business offerings in line with international trends.”

To expand the hosting side of the business, Gridhost separated from Webafrica in November 2017. “We know this was not a smooth transition and we apologise to our customers who experienced unacceptable service levels during this time,” Vollrath says.

“As part of our transition to 1-Grid, we have invested in a new management team, improved our internal processes and used every customer complaint to rebuild our solutions from the ground up.”

The company’s product portfolio has been refreshed and introduces a niche focus on providing the entrepreneur and SME with the solutions they need to grow its presence online. As the name suggests, 1-Grid will provide their clients with every solution on one grid.

From a generic top-level domain (TLD), to web and email hosting, SSL certification, website design and online marketing expertise, 1-Grid customers will have access to specialised toolkits tailored to the SME market.

“The climate in South Africa is ripe for small business and our goal is to empower local SMEs to reap the rewards of a robust online presence. We want to be a part of the entrepreneurial energy surging across the African continent,” Vollrath says.