What Metrofile does

Metrofile is a Johannesburg-headquartered, JSE-listed (jse:MFL) integrated records and information management company founded in 1984, operating across South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, and the United Arab Emirates. The company serves enterprise and public-sector clients through a four-pillar solution covering Records Management (physical storage, scanning, indexing, retrieval, and confidential destruction of paper and electronic records), Cloud (private cloud hosting, backup, disaster recovery, and the EverFiles enterprise file synchronization platform), Business Process Automation (the docuForce platform unifying paper and electronic documents with workflow automation and e-signatures), and Information Advisory Services (information governance consulting). Customers include financial institutions (Diamond Trust Bank, an unnamed commercial bank in Southern Africa), public-sector bodies (State Department for Lands Kenya, REREC, ODPC Kenya, NSSF Kenya), retailers (Clover, Whitehouse Continental Linen), and mining and healthcare organizations.

The company's technology stack combines 116,260 sq metres of physical warehousing infrastructure with proprietary platforms including docuForce (document management and workflow automation with ERP/CRM/email integration), Metrofile Cloud (rand-based petabyte storage built with Tsolo Storage Systems, priced up to 80% below major public cloud providers with no egress fees), EverFiles (EFSS platform), Metro Datastor (enterprise content services), and DocuControl Managed Service (mining-sector focused). Supporting infrastructure includes 700+ hosted virtual servers, 1.3TB+ daily backups in Kenya, and over 1 million threats mitigated monthly. Metrofile holds Level 1 B-BBEE accreditation (highest tier under South African Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment), an important regulatory credential for public-sector contracts.

Metrofile generates revenue through a mix of recurring subscription streams (physical records storage billed monthly in arrears at item/file/carton level indexing tiers, cloud storage on consumption-based pricing, docuForce managed-service subscriptions) and one-time or project-based services (image processing and scanning, secure shredding, confidential destruction, digitisation project fees). The company employs 5,001-10,000 staff and serves 14,000+ clients primarily via direct enterprise field sales teams with dedicated regional Managing Directors, supported by industry events, content marketing, case studies, and a Client Zone online portal for existing customers.

Name

Metrofile

Legal name

Metrofile Holdings Limited

Website

https://metrofile.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Metrofile is a JSE-listed integrated records and information management company offering physical records storage, cloud hosting, business process automation, and information governance advisory to 14,000+ enterprise and public-sector clients across South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, and the UAE.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Records and Information Management Services

NAICS

Warehousing and Storage (493), Other Warehousing and Storage (49319), Local Messengers and Local Delivery (49221)

SIC

Public Warehousing & Storage (4220), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Government & Public Sector Archives Storage (Municipal/State/Federal) (TLALALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Metro Ethernet & Regional Transport Connectivity (HDABALAI), Asset & Space Management Services (CMMS/Asset Tagging/Space Planning/Moves-Adds-Changes) (IMAIAAAL)

Keywords

• Records management services
• Document management software
• Cloud storage solutions
• Business process automation
• Information governance advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Records Management Storage Services: Monthly storage charges for physical records, determined by reference to Metrofile's prevailing price list. Charges are based on storage level (Item Level, File Level, or Carton Level indexing) and payable monthly in arrears. Retrieval services and destruction services are charged at prevailing rates separately.
2. Image Processing / Scanning Services: Charges for scanning, conversion, and electronic storage of documents. Documents made available for download/viewing/printing for a limited period (3 months). Original document destruction service available at prevailing fees.
3. Cloud Services: Rand-based cloud storage and hosting services, including petabyte file storage, virtual server hosting, EverFiles enterprise file sync and sharing. Priced to be up to 80% cheaper than major public cloud providers, with no egress/ingress fees. Revenue derived from storage consumption and managed services.
4. docuForce Platform (Business Process Automation): Managed document management and workflow automation platform delivered as an outsourced service. Businesses avoid hiring specialist staff and can reduce document-handling costs by 40-70%. Implementations go live in weeks. Revenue model based on managed service subscriptions.
5. Confidential Record Destruction Services: Provision of Secured Bins for confidential record destruction, with pickup and destruction services. Customers purchase boxes, CDs, or containers from Metrofile. Replacement costs charged for lost or damaged Secured Bins.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Metrofile provides fully integrated physical and digital records and information management services across Africa and the Middle East. The company stores, scans, indexes, retrieves, and securely destroys physical and electronic records, while also delivering cloud hosting, petabyte-scale file storage, document workflow automation via its proprietary docuForce platform, and information governance advisory services to over 14,000 enterprise and government clients.

Product overview

Metrofile offers a diversified portfolio of information management products and services organized around four core pillars: Records Management (physical storage, scanning, indexing, retrieval, and secure destruction of paper and electronic records), Cloud (private cloud hosting, backup, disaster recovery, and the EverFiles file synchronization platform), Business Process Automation (the docuForce platform for document management and workflow automation), and Information Advisory Services (governance and compliance consulting). The company operates as an outsourced managed service provider, deploying its technology and expertise to help clients digitize, store, manage, and secure their information across the document lifecycle — from capture through compliance. Key products include docuForce (document management and workflow automation), Metrofile Cloud (cloud hosting and storage), EverFiles (enterprise file sync and share), Datastor (enterprise content management), and DocuControl Managed Service (for the mining sector). Services are delivered through a combination of offsite storage facilities, cloud infrastructure, and professional services across South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, and the UAE.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EverFiles: A cloud storage platform designed for businesses across South Africa and East Africa, offering secure file synchronization and sharing capabilities.
• docuForce
• docuControl

Products and services

• Records Management Core service covering storage, scanning, filing, indexing, retrieval, and confidential destruction of physical and electronic records for enterprise and government clients across Africa and the Middle East.
• Offsite Records Management Secure off-site storage of physical records enabling clients to free up office space while maintaining secure, indexed access to archived documents through Metrofile's warehousing facilities.
• Scan and Store Secure document scanning and electronic storage service converting paper records into digital formats accessible through online platforms for enterprise and government customers.
• Secure Shredding Confidential record destruction service for paper documents using secured bins, scheduled pickups, and compliant destruction processes for enterprise clients.
• Electronic Data Destruction Secure destruction of electronic records stored on computer media, tapes, disks, and other electronic formats, with certificates of destruction provided for compliance.
• docuForce Metrofile's flagship proprietary document management and workflow automation platform unifying paper and electronic files in a single system, providing digitization, automated workflows for approvals and reviews, legally compliant e-signatures, access-controlled cloud storage with audit trails, version history, retention controls, and integration with email, ERP, and CRM systems. Delivered as an outsourced managed service to HR, finance, operations, procurement, sales, legal, compliance, and IT functions.
• Metrofile Cloud Cloud services division providing private cloud hosting, backup, disaster recovery, petabyte-scale rand-based file storage, and managed infrastructure. The rand-based storage solution is priced to be up to 80% cheaper than major public cloud providers with no egress fees, targeting companies storing large volumes of historical data.
• EverFiles Enterprise file synchronization and sharing (EFSS) cloud platform enabling real-time document sharing and editing across teams with encryption and access controls. Designed for businesses in healthcare, finance, and government sectors across South Africa and East Africa, with consumption-based pricing.
• Metrofile Datastor Enterprise content services platform used for digital registry creation, document tracking, digital conversion of physical documents, and KYC process automation. Supports both physical and electronic document workflows and HR document management for financial and enterprise clients.
• DocuControl Managed Service Managed document control service tailored for the mining sector and other industries requiring robust document management, handling document digitization, secure cloud storage, intelligent search, and automated alerts for regulatory changes.
• Information Advisory Services Information governance consulting service helping organisations manage documents in a single place, ensure regulatory compliance, and optimise information management processes across POPIA, GDPR, and Kenya Data Protection Act frameworks.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduce document-handling costs by 40-70%
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DISI GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetrofile partnered with DISI Group (a trusted digital transformation specialist) to co-design and implement phased land records digitisation across multiple counties in Kenya. DISI Group served as the digital transformation partner for the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning project (scanning 10M records in Kisii, 30M records in Mombasa/Kilifi/Kwale) and the REREC digitisation project (500,000 documents), and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner EDMS/CMS/ERP integration project. The partnership combines Metrofile's records management expertise with DISI Group's digital transformation capabilities.
• Tsolo Storage SystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationMetrofile partnered with Tsolo Storage Systems for technical expertise in building their cloud infrastructure. Metrofile Cloud uses a combination of open-source software and local infrastructure, with Tsolo providing technical expertise to enable the petabyte storage solution and cost leadership (up to 80% cheaper than major public cloud providers).
• AIIM (Association for Intelligent Information Management)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMetrofile partners with AIIM for the AIIM Regional Forum, participating as a co-host/sponsor. AIIM is an association for intelligent information management that provides industry thought leadership and event platforms.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Box: Cloud-native enterprise file sync, share, and content workflow platform with strong API/developer ecosystem. Comparable to Metrofile's EverFiles and docuForce offerings as a modern, API-first alternative in enterprise document management.

Broad incumbents

• DocuSign: Global leader in e-signature and agreement workflow automation. Comparable as the workflow and e-signature layer that complements physical and digital records storage; a likely ecosystem partner or competitor for docuForce.
• Recall Holdings (Iron Mountain): Now part of Iron Mountain, Recall was a global records management competitor with strong enterprise customer overlap. Relevant as a historical benchmark for Metrofile's potential global expansion trajectory.
• OpenText: Global enterprise information management vendor offering document management, workflow, and content services platforms. Comparable to Metrofile's docuForce and Metro Datastor offerings as an enterprise content management incumbent.

Direct peers

• Access Information Management: Specialist records and information management provider offering physical storage, secure shredding, and digital document solutions. Directly comparable to Metrofile's four-pillar model with similar enterprise and government customer base.
• Crown Records Management: Provider of records storage, secure shredding, and digital document services serving enterprise customers. Comparable in core offering (physical and digital records management) though operating primarily in North America and Europe.
• Iron Mountain: Global leader in physical records storage, secure shredding, and information management with comparable document lifecycle services. Most direct peer to Metrofile's records management and destruction business; competes in regulated enterprise and government markets with much larger global footprint.
• Stericycle (Shred-it): Provider of secure information destruction and compliance services following its Shred-it acquisition. Directly comparable to Metrofile's secure shredding and electronic data destruction services for regulated enterprises.

Regional players

• BCX (Business Connexion): Major South African ICT services and cloud provider serving enterprise and public sector across Africa. Comparable as a regional competitor in cloud infrastructure and managed services adjacent to Metrofile Cloud's offering.
• Datacentrix: South African integrated technology and data management provider offering cloud, managed services, and digital transformation. Comparable as a regional African IT services peer addressing enterprise and public-sector customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metrofile
• Xx.com/MetrofileRecord
• Facebookfacebook.com/metrofile-290098628889

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Metrofile