John Thompson at 90: Engineering excellence, powered by people

Building and maintaining a significant portion of the country’s power infrastructure

“Every company can have its assets. It can have equipment and factories. But its true strength lies in the people that it has. So from the welders who picked up their tools in the 1930s when John Thompson was formed to the young engineers and artisans that enter our ranks today, John Thompson has always been about the humans that work for it.”

So said the chairman of John Thompson, Phillip Dukashe, speaking at the 90th anniversary of John Thompson last week. Since 1935, the company has supplied and maintained industrial and utility boilers across the South Africa, building a reputation for technical expertise, reliability and long-term customer support.

Over the past 70 years, they have produced approximately 5,000 package boilers and larger water-tube boilers that serve vital industries ranging from food and beverage to sugar processing.

At Enlit 2023, John Thompson Marketing & Commercial Manager, Des Oates spoke with ESI Africa on industry opportunities and the role the private sector can play in Africa’s energy transition

Dukashe hailed the company for what it has achieved over the years: “So what began as a modest engineering endeavour has now grown into a powerhouse that has touched lives across industries, across communities, and even across borders.

“If you think about it, nine decades ago, the world was a very different place. So, John Thompson, at that stage, boldly, was already dreaming of the future, which was built on engineering excellence. And over the years, our borders and engineering solutions have quietly powered cities, industries, and homes.”

John Thompson on engineering resilience, lasting quality, and trusted utility partnerships

Touching on challenges that they’ve encountered over the years, Jaco Grobbelaar, CEO of the Industrial Division, said being a manufacturer in South Africa remains a challenge. 

“You constantly cut your costs; make sure you are competitive against the Chinese counterparts. But yet, I think all these challenges made us revisit these to make sure we can remain competitive and reinforce package boilers.”

He said they are proud to be the only boiler manufacturer in Africa that is also an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), supplying products known for their durability and quality. 

“Recently, we decommissioned a John Thompson boiler, one of the first built in our Bellville factory 70 years ago, that was still fully operational. This is proof of the lasting craftsmanship we deliver.”

Sharing his sentiments, the CEO for the Utilities Division, Gladstone Mbili, said they are proud to have maintained a close partnership with Eskom since 2002, providing full-time maintenance across six of South Africa’s power stations. 

“We have built and maintained a significant portion of the country’s power infrastructure. Our in-depth involvement with Eskom and regional power stations illustrates our commitment to ‘keeping the lights on’. We actively seek ways to improve energy availability and reliability to avoid loadshedding.”

He added that the company continues to invest in South Africa’s energy future through skills development. “We currently have approximately 83 trainees in welding, fitting and boiler-making programmes, supported by an apprentice school that nurtures the next generation of engineers. By growing our own talent, we help strengthen South Africa’s industrial capacity and resilience.”

Cover photo:  Some of the John Thompson staff members getting ready for their birthday picture at the Hotel Verde. Source: ESI Africa