Raubex is a construction company with a specific focus on infrastructure development that operates across all nine South African provinces and throughout southern Africa. JE ‘Koos’ Raubenheimer founded the business in Bloemfontein in 1974 and progressively developed the Company into a leader in road construction and rehabilitation and associated infrastructure development, including concrete structures. The Company is also a major supplier of aggregates to the construction industry.Raubex employs over 6200 people, is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and has a proud record of over 35 years of uninterrupted profitability.
In the mid-1990’s, Raubex began developing its SADC footprint and secured various projects in Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia. Today Raubex generates approximately 11% of its revenue outside of South Africa. Raubex’s main line of business is road building, road rehabilitation, concrete structures, pipelines, mining services and the production of construction materials. Whilst the vast majority of contracts emanate from Government-related bodies including local municipalities, provinces and SANRAL, Raubex also service the private sector. Over the years, the Group spawned a number of subsidiaries but, due to changing requirements and shifts within the market, a restructuring programme recently took place seeing the Group consolidate into three main divisions.
1974 Raubex was founded by Koos Raubenheimer in November 1974.The first contract was awarded to it by the Free State Provincial Administration to construct a bridge over the Vetriver near Bultfontein. The Company therefore started off as a concrete structures contractor. The developing road network required an increasing number of bridges and Raubex was there to build them.
1975 – 1986 During the next years until 1986 the Company started to diversify into road construction and crushing. In this period Raubex completed 109 projects which included 50 bridges. Raubex took on its first major road construction project, namely the construction of the Kroonstad to Koppies road.
1987 – 1996 From 1987 onward the Company would take on larger road construction projects and would start venturing outside its original playing field namely the Free State. From 1987 to 1996 the completed projects increased to 200.
1996 – 2006 During 1996 a process of unbundling helped strengthen the competitive spirit and would help Raubex through tough years, when infrastructure spending was at a low. During 2004 the process was reversed and the Company consolidated into the current three divisions. During this period the Company showed rapid growth in the road rehabilitation sector.
2007-Present Raubex listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on the 20 of March 2007. Since becoming a public company Raubex has grown annual revenues by 285% to R4.5 billion. This growth was achieved through both organic and acquisitive expansion. The following acquisitions were made during this period; Akasia Road Surfacing, Aliwal Dolorite Quarry, B&E International, Canyon Rock Quarries, Conspec, Milling Techniks, National Asphalt, Queenstown Quarry, Space Construction, SPH Kundalila, Thaba Bosiu Construction, Zamori Construction, Greenmined Environmental, Comar Plant Design and Manufacturing, Burma Plant Hire, L&R Civils and Strata Civils. Currently Raubex ranks by market capitalization as the 5 th* largest heavy construction company in South Africa.