History Timeline Of The Engen Company

1881 – 1897: German immigrant Johann Gottlieb Schade introduces Vacuum Oil products to South Africa.

1897 – 1908: Gottlieb opens a branch in Cape Town. With an established reputation for purity and efficiency in manufacturing, the company sells oil as well as axle grease, locust poison and candles.

1908 – 1920: Vacuum introduced Vacuum Oil’s new product range in 1910 as Vacuum Mobil Oil. They introduce this as “horseless carriages” started to become more prevalent in South Africa.

1920 – 1930: WW1 ends. Vacuum gets back to work on their technology and marketing. Horse drawn trailers are replaced by lorries which opens up a huge marked for Vacuum Oil. Vacuum Oil also negotiated a 25-year lease in a reclaimed area of Durban Bay that becomes their present-day tank farm at Island View.

1930 – 1950: South Africa goes through a depression. However, during this time Vacuum Oil took advantage of this and expanded their business operations while the prices were low. After WW2, there was a massive demand for a source of refined petroleum.

1950 – 1960: The new named Standard-Vacuum Company opens South Africa’s first oil refinery which costed around 8M Pounds.

1960 – 1990: Standard-Vacuum Oil company comes to an end and all interests are transferred to Esso Standard Eastern and the brand is renamed Mobil. Close to the end of the apartheid, when international pressure of sanctions sounds the possible end of Mobil. Mobil stand their ground and wait the disruption out.

1990 – 2000: In 1993 Mobil changed its name to Engen and became the most successful re-branding ever done in South Africa.

2000 – 2012: Engen assumes leadership in addressing urgent issues that will ensure a sustainable future. Their focus was centered on Social Capital, Financial Capital, Natural Capital, Human Capital and Manufactured Capital.

2012 –: Engen is firmly established as an innovative, modern company. Engen is a leading African energy company which is driven by their four values of Performance, Ownership, Integrity and Empowerment.

1881 – 1897: German immigrant Johann Gottlieb Schade introduces Vacuum Oil products to South Africa.

1897 – 1908: Gottlieb opens a branch in Cape Town. With an established reputation for purity and efficiency in manufacturing, the company sells oil as well as axle grease, locust poison and candles.

1908 – 1920: Vacuum introduced Vacuum Oil’s new product range in 1910 as Vacuum Mobil Oil. They introduce this as “horseless carriages” started to become more prevalent in South Africa.

1920 – 1930: WW1 ends. Vacuum gets back to work on their technology and marketing. Horse drawn trailers are replaced by lorries which opens up a huge marked for Vacuum Oil. Vacuum Oil also negotiated a 25-year lease in a reclaimed area of Durban Bay that becomes their present-day tank farm at Island View.

1930 – 1950: South Africa goes through a depression. However, during this time Vacuum Oil took advantage of this and expanded their business operations while the prices were low. After WW2, there was a massive demand for a source of refined petroleum.

1950 – 1960: The new named Standard-Vacuum Company opens South Africa’s first oil refinery which costed around 8M Pounds.

1960 – 1990: Standard-Vacuum Oil company comes to an end and all interests are transferred to Esso Standard Eastern and the brand is renamed Mobil. Close to the end of the apartheid, when international pressure of sanctions sounds the possible end of Mobil. Mobil stand their ground and wait the disruption out.

1990 – 2000: In 1993 Mobil changed its name to Engen and became the most successful re-branding ever done in South Africa.

2000 – 2012: Engen assumes leadership in addressing urgent issues that will ensure a sustainable future. Their focus was centered on Social Capital, Financial Capital, Natural Capital, Human Capital and Manufactured Capital.

2012 –: Engen is firmly established as an innovative, modern company. Engen is a leading African energy company which is driven by their four values of Performance, Ownership, Integrity and Empowerment.