Steelbro
 |
|
| Privately held company | |
| Industry | Automotive industry in New Zealand |
| Founded | 20 February 1878 |
| Founder | David & Joseph Steel |
| Headquarters | Christchurch, New Zealand |
|
Area served
|
Worldwide |
| Products | Sidelifters, semi-trailers, Intermodal freight transport equipment |
| Website | http://www.steelbro.com |
Steelbro Group is a heavy vehicle and crane manufacturer headquartered in Victoria, Australia. In 2013 it owned the Steelbro, Transtank, Fuelgear and Freightquip businesses. It grew from the company Steelbro, headquartered in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Steelbro was founded in 1878 by two brothers Joseph and David Steel and originally named the Steel Bros Canterbury Coach Factory in Lincoln Road, Addington, New Zealand. At this time the settlement of Christchurch was less than 30 years old.
The company initially manufactured horse drawn wagons, coaches, gigs and drays for the South Island of New Zealand. By 1895 the Steel brothers employed 22 staff.
In the early 1900s the company began making motor vehicle bodies, initially for commercial vehicles then private cars. The first of these were built on Albion chassis and then later Ford, Leyland and Bedford. This was followed by Triumph and Caterpillar & McCormick-Deering tractors. During the war years a number of military products were manufactured by the company to support the war effort, including tractors, barges, construction equipment and even including dummy aircraft for placement at a number of airports around the South Island of New Zealand. By 1952 the company employed about 100 staff.
In 1960 the company began mounting HIAB cranes to custom heavy trailers and truck bodies. Soon after becoming the first company outside of Sweden to manufacture HIAB loader cranes.
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Wikipedia