32
NEWS 100th ANNIVERSARY
Rawlplug
celebrates its centennial
Rawlplug is celebrating its 100th anniversary and has much to be proud of. From humble beginnings to a company with over 30 000 products available to the market today, it shares a rich heritage of innovation.
Bogdan Nyczaj, business development director Rawlplug Global, Henk Van Rensburg, Rawlplug ambassador, Grant Harris, Rawlplug brand manager, Werner Pretorius, Rawlplug ambassador, Quintin van der Schyff, Rawlplug ambassador, Tremaine Arjunan, Rawlplug ambassador.
B
y 1910 Rawlings Brothers
support the development of the
Ltd was already a
Rawlplug brand and its expansion
flourishing engineering,
into markets around the world.
building and decorating
For 100 years Rawlplug has
company. However, that same
been synonymous with quality
year John Joseph Rawlings was
and experience. The company is a
contracted by the British Museum to
globally recognised brand and one of
fix electrical fittings to the walls in as
the market leaders in an industry it
unobtrusive manner as possible. The
helped create over a century ago.
constraints of this brief led directly
From its humble beginnings 100
to the invention and patenting of
years ago Rawlplug continues to
the Rawlplug and a revolution in the
be the brand of choice for both
construction industry.
professionals and amateurs.
With the invention of the first
Rawlplug invented the first
mechanical anchor, the Rawlbolt, in
expansion plug, the first mechanical
1930 (still in use today) the company
anchor and the first drywall fixing
name became synonymous
and its long and proud history of
with reliable fixing and fastening.
innovation continues.
Through the decades that followed,
Investment in its production
the changes in ownership, the
facilities and research and
strides forward in technology and
development centres means that new
construction, the rise of DIY, the
and innovative fastening solutions are
basic strength and philosophy of
being created all the time.
what Rawlplug stands for has never
Additionally, a strong commitment
wavered. It is over a century since
to sustainability guarantees that
John Rawlings had that flash of
its products and processes are
inspiration, Rawlplug is still about
developed responsibly.
innovation and Rawlplug products
The Rawlplug brand was created
are completely trusted to do the job.
in 1919 in the UK and quickly
John Joseph Rawlings was
established an international
a visionary, an inventor and an
presence. Today it has subsidiaries
entrepreneur – Renaissance man
and distributors across the
in the business of fastenings. He
world responsible for the design,
was the man who invented the
development, production, delivery,
first dowel in the world, forever
sale, installation and service of
inscribing himself into the history
its products. Rawlplug solutions
of the construction industry. Good
continue to set the direction of
was not enough for him. He was
development for the fixings market.
ahead of his time. He created a new
5265B Eureka FortKnox 4 x 1/4pg Padlocks DIYTN DEC’17
MAY 2019 DIY & INDUSTRIAL TRADE NEWS
standard of customer service in
TRUST AND INNOVATION
the broadly understood fastening
The company sees a strong
sector – service based not only
connection between Rawlplug’s
on providing customers with the
long heritage and its present
most modern solutions, but on
ambitions for sustainable
complete support related to their
development. It employs a strategy
use. His values included focus on
of responsible management and
innovation, a dialogue with the client,
has a healthy and respectful
understanding his needs, simplicity
relationship with its surroundings
and producing the highest quality
and the company believes that
solutions. Over the last 100 years
these qualities contribute to a
these values have continued to
secure future for everyone.
