History
In South Africa, we have an established history.
Our roots in Africa date back to 1910, and through various acquisitions,our reputation and standard of global engineering excellence have gone from strength to strength.
VAE SA ( Pty) Ltd
VAE SA (Pty) Ltd, is a VAE Austria investment and provides centralized marketing, engineering, finance as well as administration facilities to the South African group. The Corporate Office based in Isando co-ordinates all manufacturing activities and operations, for the Strategic Business Units (SBU's), situtated in Bloemfontein, Kimberley and Isando.
VAE Perway, was previously a division of Transwerk, with more than 75 years of experience.
In 2001 Transnet sold Transwerk Perway to VAE Austria who invested in South Africa, under the privatization program. Austria held 65% of the shares whilst Transnet retained 35% and in 2003, the name officially changed from Transwerk Perway to VAE Perway ( Pty) Ltd. Both manufacturing plants in Bloemfontein and Kimberley continue to operate today as world class manufacturing operations. This was to be the first successful Government approved privatization project in South Africa.
VAE Africa, was previously Cementation Railways. VAE Austria bought Cementation Railways in 1997 and formed VAE Africa with a 100% share holding with the main manufacturing facility in Isando.
History of VAE Eisenbahnsysteme GmbH - More than 150 years of know-how and experience
• 1851: Founding of the "Hugo Hütte" by Earl Hugo Henckel von Donnersmark
• 1866: Start of industrial turnout manufacturing
• 1869: Owner „Styrian Eisenindustriegesellschaft“
• 1889: Owner „Österreichische-Alpine-Montangesellschaft“
• 1953: First export activities
• 1973: Owner „VOEST-Alpine AG“
• 1980: Patent application for Mn-welding
• 1988: Turnouts with moveable point frogs are introduced to the market
• 1990: Start into a historical era: foundation of VAE as an independent company. Start of internationalisation
• 1992 - 1994: Privatisation via Vienna Stock Exchange
• 2000: Spin-off the Austrian turnout production plant called VAE Eisenbahnsysteme GmbH as an independent company – integrated in the VAE Group
• 2000: Delivery of the first plug and play turnout
• 2002: Founding of the business unit HYTRONICS – start of industrial production
• 2003: New owner of the VAE Group: "voestalpine - Division Bahnsysteme"
• 2004: Enlargement of the VAEE HYTRONICS business unit (CONTEC and SST)
• 2004: Automation in HYTRONICS production and concentration on complete turnout systems, including drive and safety technology
