In 1924 Mr Aubrey Bertram Stratford, a British trained engineer started business as Stratford & Webber in downtown Johannesburg in the lower end of Simmonds Street with a staff of four people selling general engineering products.

During this time Stratford Engineering grew, taking on international agencies like Allen West Switchgear, Hydraulic Coupling and Engineering Company and other well known engineering companies. Stratford became the sole distributor of Fluidrive Engineering company Ltd. A.B. Stratford quickly fulfilled opportunities and expanded into a wide variety of electrical, mechanical and electronic activities and products. With this expansion, larger premises were required and the company built in Juta Street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg in 1956.

1959 - 1976

Mr Eric Stratford took control of the company in 1968, and five branches were opened nationally. Due to an increasing demand in new technologies Stratford Engineering began manufacturing and marketing its own range of products under the brand name “Strateng”, beginning with the Strateng centrifugal speed switches.

The Strateng range expanded into Brakes, Hydractors, Sirens, Air horns, Rotary switches and Centrifugal / electronic speed switches. This necessitated a move of Stratford Engineering’s Head Office to larger premises in Ophirton, Johannesburg from where the company still operates today.

1977 - 2000

Stratford Engineering diversified its business with the purchase of Saftronics in 1986 and Measurtronic in 1994.

2001 - 2002

Stratford Engineering was sold off in divisions during 2001 and 2002. Stratelec took over the electrical division of Stratford Engineering on the 1st March 2002.

Stratelec kept on building on the excellent customer relations that was built up through the years by Stratford Engineering.