Steelbro Group is a heavy vehicle and crane manufacturer headquartered in Christchurch, New Zealand. In 2013 it owned the Steelbro, Transtank, Fuelgear and Freightquip businesses.[1]
History
Steelbro was founded in 1878 by brothers Joseph and David Steel[2][3] and originally named the Steel Bros Canterbury Coach Factory in Lincoln Road, Addington, New Zealand. At this time the settlement of Christchurch was less than 30 years old.
The company initially manufactured horse drawn wagons, coaches, gigs and drays for the South Island of New Zealand. By 1895 the Steel brothers employed 22 staff.
In the early 1900s the company began making motor vehicle bodies, initially for commercial vehicles then private cars. The first of these were built on Albion chassis and then later Ford