1927

• Allen Liversidge formed as a result of merging six independent gas companies. This was the birth of Afrox and the companies were - Allen-Liversidge, HOPCO, The Oxygen Company, Usshers Oxygen and the Oxygen divisions of Lever Brothers and Herald Soap. The company was registered on 1 April 1927 at 99 Park Road, Newtown and, Harvey Shacklock was appointed the first CEO. Its first chairman was Dr. JH Dobson of Dowson & Dobson, a company Afrox was to acquire in 1969.

1928

• Old Harbour Police Station, Maydon Wharf, Durban purchased for £1,100. This is the site of the present Durban branch and regional office. Allen-Liversidge, with plants in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, opens in Bulawayo (Rhodesia - now Zimbabwe) and Bwana Mkabwa (Northern Rhodesia - now Zambia), with oxy-acetylene as the core business, and Port Elizabeth.
• Manufacture of filling rods and fluxes started.
• Newtown head office and works expanded with opening of an acetylene installation.

1929

• Durban branch provides oxygen to blast railway tunnels between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

1930

• Mauritius sales drive started, and within a few years proved a good market.
• African Oxygen acquires Sparlet’s Limited. Known the world over for its soda water siphons where the cartridges are filled with CO2 giving the necessary “fizz” to the drink.

1931

• Allen Liversidge changes name to reflect business’ activities and is named; African Oxygen & Acetylene (Pty) Ltd.
• Rapid expansion necessitates the employment of additional travellers (salesmen).

1932

• African Oxygen introduces a number of propaganda films on welding. So successful were the films that by 1935 more than 5,000 people had seen them and 26 educational institutions borrowed them to show to their own students.

1933

• Safety and training focus launched in welding after finding goggles being regarded as a matter of choice when welding; a welder welding pipes at 1,800 lbs. per square inch without a regulator, the hose exploded in the process; welders welding petrol tanks without clearing the fumes in the prescribed manner of using live steam, several explosions occurred.
• Welding school opens in Germiston offering training courses from a week to six months.
• African Oxygen leads the way by providing an attractive lay-out for the surroundings of its works at Germiston - “very different from the grimy setting traditional with factories”.

1935

• British Oxygen buys controlling interest in African Oxygen.
• The African Oxygen and Acetylene Journal, issued quarterly made its appearance in February 1933.
• African Oxygen introduces first automatic welding machine
  “INTRODUCING THE “SAFRAP” AUTOMATIC WELDING MACHINES. (Vertical and Horizontal) 50 per cent saving in time as compared with Hand Welding. 75 per cent saving in Labour Costs. 80 per cent saving in Total Costs. 100 per cent strength in all Welds. “These machines are installed in the showroom of the Company at Germiston. Ask us for a Demonstration.”
• Agents appointed including; Spence and Drury in East London, Rand Carbide in Witbank, Mann, George and Co. in Walvis Bay, C. Daros & Co. in Pietermaritzburg, agents in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Salisbury, Mozambique and Scott & Co. became the agents in Port Louis, Mauritius.

1936

• Fire breaks out in Acetylene Department, Durban. Not a single cylinder exploded as the bursting discs came away and released the gas when the cylinders became hot.
• African Oxygen takes prominent site to show its products at the Great Empire Exhibition which opened in September 1936 and ran to January 1937

1937

• Quasi-arc process launched.

1938

• African Oxygen and Acetylene Journal renamed Oxy-Acetylene News
• Louis Trichardt, Dar-es-Salaam, Tonga, Mozambique and Nairobi branches opened.

1939

• World War 2 starts. Close contact was immediately set with the Directorate of War Supplies, the Defence Department and with Iscor Steel Works at Pretoria. One of the most urgent demands was for the construction of armoured fighting vehicles, though South Africa has still very little knowledge about the process of welding armour plate. In conjunction with Iscor experiments were therefore immediately undertaken at African Oxygen’s laboratories at Germiston. The first attempt stood up reasonably well to a .303 bullet fired at a distance of 50 yards, but soon the methods were greatly improved until the results attained were fully comparable with the equivalent efforts overseas. Apart from the actual production of gases, the African Oxygen Production Department was also charged with the manufacture of all welding gear used by most of the South African Forces.

1940

• EMF Welding Processes, 23 Webber Street, Selby acquired. Name changed to Quazi-Arc SA (Pty) Limited.

1942

• Perhaps the most remarkable task carried out by African Oxygen during the war, however, began with the British and Allied campaign against the Japanese in the Far East. Here one of the major problems was the need for the so-called Automatic Tube Welding plant, for the famous 2-inch pipe across the route of the Burma Road. African Oxygen were given a rough drawing of a German blow-pipe, allegedly capable of welding 7 inches per minute. Carefully copied at the Germiston works, it was tried out and found far too slow. Further experiments began, and within a short time it was possible to weld pipes at the rate of 28 feet per minute.

1946

• East African Oxygen & Acetylene formed, first operating from Mombasa and later Nairobi.

1950

• Welkom branch opens - South West Africa Oxygen & Acetylene opens.

1955

• Handigas launched

1956

• Gold mining industry in Orange Free State celebrates its first ten years
• The first Handigas tanker commissioned
• Afrox vehicle fleet grows to 150.

1957

• Name change to African Oxygen Limited, from African Oxygen and Acetylene (Pty) Ltd.
• J. B. (Beau) Sutherland appointed Managing Director
• Argonarc welding process becomes well-known as the established metal arc welding
• New Saffire cutting blowpipe launched
• Gas Equipment Factory opened.

1960

• Handigas filling facilities at branches now cover Cape to Copperbelt. 300 distributors in operation.

1961

• New branch offices built: Germiston (Barlow Street) cost R110 000, and Durban R65000.
• African Oxygen sponsors weekly radio competition ‘Made in South Africa’. This competition calls for people to enter their own songs. Four songs are entered each week with Peter Lotis and Virginia Lee singing them. Winners receive a recording contract.

1964

• JSE Debut - Afrox listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange with 4,8 million shares on offer.
• 6 500 South Africans took up the offer, which was over-subscribed 32 times - long standing order!

1965

• 1 600 cubic metre liquid oxygen plant commissioned in Germiston.
• Contract to supply Highveld Steel and Vanadium with 130 - 150 tons a day signed.
• Local manufacturer of porous mass D A cylinders expected to start in 1966.
• There has been no increase in the price of the company’s products since 1958.
• R B Sinclair retires as chairman after sixteen years.
• Ian Mackenzie, CEO of Standard Bank, appointed chairman.

1966

• Afrox House extended by 3 storey building. New offices built in Cape Town and Vanderbijlpark.
• Acquired Industrial Gases of S A (SAIGAS) for R645 000 and increased shareholding in Homegas.

1967

• Botswana Oxygen Company formed.
• First locally manufactured electrode plant exported to Mauritius.
• Agreement signed for the supply of gaseous oxygen to Dunswart Iron & Steel.

1968

• Tonnage Oxygen plant commissioned to supply Highveld Steel.
• Industrial ground acquired for Walvis Bay and Empangeni.
• Capital expenditure hits R3,5 million.
• Afrox acquires Thermal Welding Products. TWP Electrodes made to formulae by Phillips of Holland.
• Acquired Bongwan Gas Springs.
• CO2 plant installed in Cape Town.
• Highveld plant comes on-stream.
• Luanda electrode plant commissioned.
• Over R100,000 donated to Universities in past five years.

1969

• Afrox raises R8 million via unsecured debentures at 8,75 percent.
• Acquired Dowson & Dobson (general engineering firm), Reid Brothers (mining and engineering suppliers), Hotel & Hospital Suppliers and Nicoweld.
• R500 000 oxygen supply scheme installed for Scaw Metals.
• CO2 plant installed in Port Elizabeth.
• Dunswart plant commissioned.
• Work start on Scaw plant.
• Awarded 15 years contract to supply oxygen to Union Steel Corporation.

1970

• Peter Joubert appointed managing director of Afrox Limited.
• Green & Benham Holdings - manufacturers of catering equipment - acquired.
• Afrox enters convenience food market and acquires Frozen Assets and the brand Gina Potter.

1971

• R3 million Electrode factory built at Brits.
• ASU erected at Highveld Steel.
• Afrox sells control of nursing home in Pretoria, but retains interest.

1972

• Severe price cutting in gas business as gas war starts. Air products and Fedgas enter South African market to do battle with Afrox and Air Liquide.
• Afrox maintains market share - sales increase or R75 million from R71 million.
• Brits electrode factory commissioned.

1973

• Metalart - South Africa’s first national welding competition took place. This would become an annual event.
• New company Flameguard formed to market fire-fighting equipment industrial safety, rescue, breathing and personal protective equipment.
• Afrox acquires 1/3 stake in silicon smelters for R17 million.

1974

• Western Industries acquired.
• Afrox gets grip and “wins gas war” as profits rocket from R5,8 million to R8,5 million.

1975

• Profits soar to R10,3 million from R5,8 million.

1976

• Peter Joubert appointed to Board of African Oxygen Limited.
• BOC holds first board meeting outside the UK in South Africa.

1977

• Afrox celebrates its 50th birthday donating R50 000 to the Urban Foundation, which was formed to promote involvement by the private sector in the improvement of quality of life of urban communities.
• Vanderbijlpark branch approved the first housing loan for a black member of staff.
• Beau Sutherland appointed chairman.

1978

• Afrox focuses on core business and sells many non-core businesses.
• Interest in Silicon Smelters increased to 50 percent

1979

• EasiWeld range of gas and arc welding equipment offered to the public for the first time.
• Peter Joubert seconded to BOC, UK.
• Silicon Smelters sold.
• D & D Electronics sold.

1980

• Peter Joubert returns to Afrox as MD.

1981

• D & D sold.
• Introduced ZE pricing.
• PortaPak launched.

1982

• BOC sponsors ‘The BOC Challenge: Around Alone’.
• Brits plant gets SABS 0157.

1983

• The “start” of Afrox Healthcare with the purchase of 85 percent in Ammed, the JSE listed, four hospitals group.
• Ammed comprises the Eugene Marais, Princess, Florence, Lady Dudley and Randburg Day Clinic.

1984

• Brenthurst Clinic acquired.
• CityPark hospital, Cape Town opened. A joint venture between Afrox and Barry Hurwitz of Clinic Holdings.

1985

• Entabeni Hospital acquired with interest in the 125 bed Westville Hospital.
• HH & D acquired.

1986

• Beau Sutherland retires.
• BOC’s Paul Bassonnet appointed chairman.
• Acquired Glynnwood.
• Sold 50 percent stake in City Park, Cape Town.

1987

• Two oxygen plants erected at ISCOR at a cost of R100 million.
• Acquired St George’s, Port Elizabeth and 35 percent in Springs Parkland.
• Lithotriptor installed at Lady Dudley.

1988

• Afrox purchases Liquid Air Namibia R1,2 million.
• Peter Joubert appointed chairman

1989

• Built at a cost of R30 million The Glynnwood Hospital is officially opened by Prof Chris Barnard.
• 10 private hospitals with 1 900 beds.
• MRI installed at Eugene Marais.

1990

• Employees asked to take “late ownership” of their jobs.
• Supply scheme customers increase to 13.
• Afrox is the first and only gas company to be awarded the SABS 0157 quality systems listing for its bulk air separation products.

1991

• The BOC Award for Technology won by Afrox for its dynamic Goldox system using pure oxygen in gold recovery. This system was introduced into several gold mines with success.
• Pretoria Iscor plant commissioned.
• Germiston No. 4 plant scrapped.
• MRI installed at St. George’s.
• Aids education programme launched.

1992

• Afrox achieves record sales of helium balloon gas marketed as Partigas and Bocogas.
• IPV, a valve manufacturer, was sold.
• Launched AfroxPac, self rescue system used by underground miners.
• Minority interests acquired in Mercantile in Port Elizabeth and Crompton.
• Royden Vice appointed managing director.

1993

• Largest argon purification unit in southern hemisphere costing R15 million commissioned by Afrox at Pretoria West.
• Anncron and Daylene Clinic purchased
• Princess in Hillbrow closed.
• Corporate governance introduced.

1994

• Afrox acquires Engen’s LPG cylinder business for R88 million. The acquisition includes all LPG filling operations contracted to Engen including SA Energy Corporation, Mobil, Trek, Sonap and Homegas.
• Afrox placed first in Leadership magazine’s SA’s Most Admired Companies.
• Peter Joubert retires. Royden Vice appointed chairman.
• Healthcare has 14 hospitals, 2 day clinics.
• Cardiac catheterisation unit for Glynnwood.
• Neurosurgery introduced at Entabeni.
• Direct Medicines formed.

1995

• Afrox lists on Namibian Stock Exchange.
• LPG bulk storage depot at Roodekop opens.
• Afrox acquires 35 percent in Lasey, Seychelles.
• Acquired Afrox Occupational Healthcare.

1996

• Contract secured for sole supply of oxygen, nitrogen and argon to Highveld Steel leading to the construction of Mpumalanga ASU plant.
• Shares split 10 for 1.
• Turnover reaches R2 billion for first time.
• Afrox Healthcare Network formed.

1997

• Healthcare acquires Vincent Pallotti in Cape Town, Springsmed in Springs and St James in East London.
• CO2 plant commissioned at Sasol.
• Empangeni Private Clinic opens.
• Acquired Caltex LPG business.
• Centralised Customer Service Centre opens in Germiston.
• Flora Clinic acquired.

1998

• The Mpumalanga Plant, Afrox’s largest project ever, a R270 million gas producing plant and a 50 km gas pipeline was opened to supply industrial gases to major customers in the Mpumalanga area.
• The Suikerbosrand Clinic, Heidelburg opens.
• World class gas welding products designed and made of local and global markets.
• PE Hospital group of six hospitals acquired.

1999

• The BOC Board recommended that shareholders accept the offer from Air Liquide and Air Products to buy The BOC Group.
• Afrox and PresMed merged to form a new company. Afrox Healthcare Limited was listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on October 4, 1999.
• Rick Hogben was appointed managing director of Afrox Healthcare Limited.

2000

• The joint £7,2 billion bid by Air Products of America and Air Liquide of France for The BOC Group was unsuccessful and as a result, Afrox remains Afrox.
• A carbon dioxide production plant was opened at Mossel Bay.

2001

• Greg Sedgwick, BOC Group business development director was appointed chairman of Afrox Healthcare Limited.
• Royden Vice resigned from The BOC Group and as Chairman of Afrox and Afrox Healthcare Limited.
• Mike Flemming appointed managing director of Afrox Healthcare Limited.
• Having reached retirement age Jimmy Marriott retires as managing director of Afrox and Rick Hogben is appointed as the new managing director.
• John Walsh, CEO of The BOC Group’s global ISP, is appointed Chairman of Afrox.
• A move into Madagascar and the opening of a branch in Tanzania sees African Oxygen Limited operating in 16 African countries.
• The development of an eHealth business (both business-to-business and business-to-consumer) commenced.

2002

• Afrox celebrates its 75th anniversary
• World bench mark regulators well accepted as Afrox produces over 100,000 a year for export to south-east Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
• Afrox launches world bench mark Afrox Pac 35, a self-rescuer used by underground miners in cases of emergency.
• Rick Hogben appointed Managing Director, African Oxygen Limited.
• Medical Gases launched as separate business unit.

2003

• Afrox named best governed company in South Africa and placed first for board effectiveness and corporate integrity and ethics.
• United Nations acknowledges community involvement programmes as excellent example of a social development initiative.
• On 17 November, Afrox announces the disposal of its 69 percent holding in Afrox Healthcare handed to a BEE consortium comprising of Brimstone Investments Limited, Mvelaphanda Strategic Investment (Pty) Ltd, other smaller broad-based empowerment groups as well as doctor groupings, and Medi Clinic.
• Afrox launches integrated valve regulator (IVR), which forms part of a portable lightweight oxygen-closing device. The device is primary used by paramedics, hospitality and homecare.

2004

• Afrox was selected by the JSE Securities Exchange as one of 51 companies to make up the prestigious Socially Responsible Investment (SR) index.
• Afrox won the most outstanding technological innovation award for its Afrox Pac, self-contained self-rescue.
• Afrox won the Design Excellence award for its IVR medical value.
• For the fourth consecutive year, Afrox annual report was judged excellent in the Corporate Reporting awards.
• BOC Edwards appoints PGS as its new South African distributor for industrial vacuum products.
• Afrox celebrates its tenth anniversary of its community involvement programme and Bumbanani Day.