Pauling & Co.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Civil engineering, Construction |
| Founded | 1894 |
| Founder | George Craig Sanders Pauling |
| Defunct | 2 April 2002 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Area served | Southern Africa, Middle East, United Kingdom, Ireland |
Key people | John Watson Gibson (managing director until 1947) |
| Products | Railway construction, dams, harbours, roads, airports, steel prefabricated housing |
Pauling & Co. stood as a leading British civil engineering firm, chiefly recognized for its extensive railway construction projects throughout Southern Africa.
History
Established in 1894 by George Craig Sanders Pauling, who had been engaged in railway building since 1875, the company originated from earlier ventures such as Firbank, Pauling & Co., and Pauling and Butler. At its inception, Pauling & Co. concentrated on railway construction, operating initially in regions including South Africa, Rhodesia, Greece, Puerto Rico, and England.
Between 1900 and 1918, the company undertook the development of vast railway systems across Rhodesia, Angola, and Nyasaland, playing a pivotal role in expanding rail connectivity throughout Southern and Central Africa. This included significant contributions to Cecil Rhodes' ambitious Cape to Cairo Railway initiative.
Following a corporate reorganization in 1931, Pauling & Co. joined forces with contractor John Watson Gibson in 1933 to create Gibson and Pauling (Foreign) Ltd., which secured the contract for constructing the Jebel Aulia Dam on Sudan’s White Nile. Gibson served as managing director of Pauling & Co. until his passing in 1947.
During the Second World War, Pauling & Co. aided wartime production by building Royal Ordnance factories and fabricating Phoenix concrete caissons used in the Mulberry harbours. After the war, the company was engaged by the United Africa Company to clear land for the Groundnut scheme.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Pauling broadened its operations into the Middle East, particularly within the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The firm was honored with the Queen's Award for Industry for export achievements in 1976.
Pauling Ltd. was formally wound up on 2 April 2002.
Railways
From 1894 until 1939, Pauling constructed over of railway track, including approximately in Africa, encompassing large portions of the Cape to Cairo Railway and the Benguela railway. In the United Kingdom, they completed the Northholt to High Wycombe route (1901–1905) as well as the first 100 kilometres of the Tete Railway in 1939. Additionally, they built the Letterkenny to Burtonport narrow gauge line in County Donegal, Ireland; bridge engineer Taggart Aston contributed to this project before relocating to South Africa to work on Pauling’s ventures.
Hydroelectric works
Pauling partnered with the Tata Company in Bombay on three significant dam projects.
Harbours
The company was responsible for constructing major African port facilities such as Kilindini Harbour, Kenya; Beira Harbour; and initiating development at Lobito Harbour in Angola.
Dams
Among their dam projects were Zimbabwe’s Mazoe Dam and Magoto Dam. Through an affiliated entity, they built Sudan’s Jebel Aulia Dam on the White Nile for the Egyptian Government at a cost exceeding (1933–1937). Other notable dams included St. Saviour's Dam for Guernsey States Water Board and San Felipe Dam in Argentina via Pauling Argentina Lda.
War work
During World War II, Pauling constructed Royal Ordnance Factory 17 in Staffordshire (1941), manufactured nine A1 Phoenix Caissons for use in Mulberry Harbours at Southampton (1943–1944), and erected military camps at multiple sites across the UK.
Roads and airports
Key infrastructure developments encompassed major segments of the Abu Dhabi-Alain Highway, various roads in Alain, as well as the completion of runway and taxiway enhancements at Abu Dhabi International Airport in 1974.
Other works
Following the war, Pauling specialized in steel prefabricated housing projects. Their portfolio also featured the clearance of land for the Groundnut Scheme in Tanganyika (1946), the construction of the American Embassy located in Grosvenor Square, London (1959–61), the implementation of Abu Dhabi’s comprehensive water supply system (1964–65), and the establishment of Belmopan as Belize’s new capital city after Hurricane Hattie (1967–1970).
Sources
- The Works of Pauling and Company Limited, published by the company in 1980
Further reading
- 1894 establishments in England
- 2002 disestablishments in England
- British companies disestablished in 2002
- British companies established in 1894
- Construction and civil engineering companies disestablished in 2002
- Construction and civil engineering companies established in 1894
- Construction and civil engineering companies of the United Kingdom