Anderson Engineering – 50 years on!

Anderson Engineering was founded in 1958 by Eric Anderson, who saw the opportunity in the marketplace to manufacture stainless processing equipment for the dairy industry, e.g. milk tanks, cheese vats, etc. The company started operations at 95 Church Street in two workshops, and the estimating and designing aspects were initially performed in the evenings from home!

Our first client was Clover in Durban. As the dairy industry evolved, so did Anderson Engineering. Initially we repaired the milk churns that were collected on flat bed trucks daily from the farms and taken to the dairies. However, as time progressed a better system was required and Anderson was the first company in KwaZulu-Natal to build the refrigerated milk-cooling tanks that were installed on the farms. We also manufactured the insulated milk collection tankers which went from farm to farm on a frequent basis. As a result the cold chain was improved, and with it the quality of the milk.

Anderson Engineering was also the first company in South Africa to manufacture chassisless milk tankers. The benefit of having no chassis on the long-haul tankers was the saving in weight which then allowed for a greater payload.

Eric’s son, Stuart, worked for ACOSA (Aluminium Company of SA), now known as Hulamin, before joining the family business in 1962. From the outset he was a "hands on" engineer and therefore chose to study for his engineering qualifications while he was working.

The business moved to 5 Willowton Road in 1964. The introduction of the overhead crane into the new building increased efficiencies within the factory and also increased the scope of work that we could undertake. The move to a location closer to a railway line made it easier to transport the equipment to the clients.

The dairy industry proved to be a good source of work, albeit somewhat erratic, and the Andersons recognised that they had to move into other markets to ensure the company’s growth and sustainability. As a result of this strategy, the company now applies its skills in industries as diverse as the chemical, food processing, pharmaceutical and personal care industries. This has led to some very interesting projects and the company learning a great deal about the processes and products of the industries we work in.

The culture of the company has stayed the same over the years, even with the change in ownership, but as a result of a dynamic business environment and increasing local and international competition, there has been an increased focus on building a range of high-quality products customised to the specific requirements of clients. This also resulted in Anderson achieving ISO 9001-2000 certification in 2003.

Another key milestone was the launch our apprenticeship programme in 2004. It had become evident that as a result of the skills shortage in the country the company would have to build its own talent, and so we pioneered a four-year apprenticeship programme. In this way, Anderson continues to build its collective expertise and Hans believes that this will contribute to the long-term success of the company. The programme now includes both boilermakers and draughtsmen. Hans recently commented, “Our apprenticeship scheme is strong and delivering good, young people who work the Anderson way.”

Over the years the company has promoted its ability to undertake turnkey projects, as this makes use of all its unique abilities, i.e. designing, manufacturing, installing and commissioning projects to clients’ requirements. This type of project work creates exacting challenges for the team, but also keeps us interested in and excited about our work. Recently, Anderson manufactured and installed a toothpaste plant with a 3-ton batch capacity for Unilever Nigeria’s Oregun Factory. Given the challenges and logistics of working at a distance, it was a great achievement for the team to install the equipment on time and commission it successfully. This particular strength of the company has been proven on many other projects undertaken in countries as diverse as France, Kenya, the Seychelles and Zimbabwe.

With Anderson Engineering providing employment to 50 people, Hans recognises the critical role each one plays in the success of the business. The company still enjoys longstanding relationships with companies in South Africa, Africa and Europe and ascribes this to its philosophy that it’s the way you treat your clients that makes the difference. There has not been a dull moment in the past fifty years, and Anderson Engineering is looking forward to being at the leading edge for the next 50 years.