The Sturrock & Robson Group

The Sturrock & Robson Group
Whistleblowing

Our History #2

OUR HISTORY

From our roots in the South African mining and shipping industries of the 1920s to the international, diversified industrial group of today, Sturrock and Robson are proud of our rich heritage and robust reputation that we have nurtured over the last century.

  • 1912 - Business Venture

     

    Frederick Claud Sturrock (later to become The Right Honourable F C Sturrock) and his friend Thomas William Robson venture into business together

  • 1920-1945 - South African Mining Boom

     

    The South African mining industry is booming and early Sturrock and Robson companies thrive in supplying and installing transport and mining equipment as well as owning shipping interests in and out of South Africa. Excellent relationships are established with UK and USA suppliers and the Group weathers the recession of 1929.

  • 1946 - Thomas Returns to South Africa

     

    Thomas Reid Robson, the son of Thomas William Robson and a qualified Mechanical and Electrical Engineer, returns to South Africa from the Royal Air Force

  • 1953 - Robson Family Purchase

     

    The Sturrock family’s interests are bought and the Group becomes wholly owned by the Robson family.

  • 1953 - 1989 - Growth of the business

     

    A dynamic and confident entrepreneur, Thomas Reid Robson continues to grow the business with an eye on future markets, becoming a well-recognized industrial force in South Africa.

  • 1989 - 2014 - Robson Family Purchase

     

    The new Chairman, Thomas William Robson Jnr, buys Shand Engineering in the UK and begins the Group’s further expansion into the UK, USA, Australia and Africa, acquiring new and expanding existing companies in widely-based support of the mining, energy and transport industries

  • 2014 - 2021 - Appointment of Gregory Reid Robson

     

    After serving on the Board for several years, Gregory Reid Robson is appointed as Executive Chairman, the fourth generation of the family to lead the Group. The focus on people and good business practice remains with an added target of contributing to a safer, cleaner more efficient world.

  • 2021 - Appointment of Stephen Collenyy

     

    In October 2021, Stephen Connelly was appointed Non-Executive Chairman of Sturrock & Robson. Previously he had served as an independent advisor to the group and more recently as a member of the Advisory Committee. He is therefore well acquainted with the Group, its operations and the markets we serve.

     

    Stephen is a well known and ighly respected individualist with many years' experience in leadership roles. In 1982 he, along with two partners, started his own business manufacturing and/or disturbing industrial products.

     

    The business was listed on the JSE in 1985 with Stephenas its CEO. In 1992 the three partner sold the business to Hudaco Industries, a JSE listed Industrial Group, & and Stephen became CEO of the enlarge group in the same year. He retired as CEO in 2014 and was appointed Chairman of th Board of Hudaco. 

Our History #2

OUR HISTORY

From our roots in the South African mining and shipping industries of the 1920s to the international, diversified industrial group of today, Sturrock and Robson are proud of our rich heritage and robust reputation that we have nurtured over the last century.

  • 1912 - Business Venture

     

    Frederick Claud Sturrock (later to become The Right Honourable F C Sturrock) and his friend Thomas William Robson venture into business together

  • 1920-1945 - South African Mining Boom

     

    The South African mining industry is booming and early Sturrock and Robson companies thrive in supplying and installing transport and mining equipment as well as owning shipping interests in and out of South Africa. Excellent relationships are established with UK and USA suppliers and the Group weathers the recession of 1929.

  • 1946 - Thomas Returns to South Africa

     

    Thomas Reid Robson, the son of Thomas William Robson and a qualified Mechanical and Electrical Engineer, returns to South Africa from the Royal Air Force

  • 1953 - Robson Family Purchase

     

    The Sturrock family’s interests are bought and the Group becomes wholly owned by the Robson family.

  • 1953 - 1989 - Growth of the business

     

    A dynamic and confident entrepreneur, Thomas Reid Robson continues to grow the business with an eye on future markets, becoming a well-recognized industrial force in South Africa.

  • 1989 - 2014 - Robson Family Purchase

     

    The new Chairman, Thomas William Robson Jnr, buys Shand Engineering in the UK and begins the Group’s further expansion into the UK, USA, Australia and Africa, acquiring new and expanding existing companies in widely-based support of the mining, energy and transport industries

  • 2014 - 2021 - Appointment of Gregory Reid Robson

     

    After serving on the Board for several years, Gregory Reid Robson is appointed as Executive Chairman, the fourth generation of the family to lead the Group. The focus on people and good business practice remains with an added target of contributing to a safer, cleaner more efficient world.

  • 2021 - Appointment of Stephen Collenyy

     

    In October 2021, Stephen Connelly was appointed Non-Executive Chairman of Sturrock & Robson. Previously he had served as an independent advisor to the group and more recently as a member of the Advisory Committee. He is therefore well acquainted with the Group, its operations and the markets we serve.

     

    Stephen is a well known and ighly respected individualist with many years' experience in leadership roles. In 1982 he, along with two partners, started his own business manufacturing and/or disturbing industrial products.

     

    The business was listed on the JSE in 1985 with Stephenas its CEO. In 1992 the three partner sold the business to Hudaco Industries, a JSE listed Industrial Group, & and Stephen became CEO of the enlarge group in the same year. He retired as CEO in 2014 and was appointed Chairman of th Board of Hudaco.