history in the making

With more than 3 decades experience in the industry Pelican Systems has evolved from a contract shop fitting business to the leader in the manufacture and supply of building interior systems.

  • February 1970: Trading on his fame, Rodney Gould, ex Springbok rugby fullback, establishes a contracting business named Rodney Gould Shopfitters.
  • 1973: Having worked long hours, honoured every delivery promise, bought well, collected on debt and had lots of fun, the Goulds grow their business to such an extent that they move from their R90 per month rented premises to larger R2 300 per month premises in Umgeni Road.
  • 1982: The Business buys its current premises in North Coast Road.
  • 1983: Pelican Systems Shelving is established. The company's mission in developing its systems was to "make space more spacious" within office environments. Derived from an old adage where the pelican's beak is said to expand to hold much more than its own stomach can, it provided an ideal icon to illustrate Pelican's mission.
  • 1984 Pelican Johannesburg opens it's first branch, which was later (1999) sold and evolved into Owa South Africa.
  • 1988: First million Rand profit.
  • 1992: Pelican Self Help Housing Division opens and operates from Port Elizabeth until it closes in 1994. During this time 700 houses were built for the disadvantaged communities in Bethelsdorp.
  • 1994: Pelican evolves into a business where the focus is no longer on contracting but on the manufacture and sale of ceiling and partition systems.
  • 1995: Pelican begins manufacturing Hufcor Acoustic Operable Partitions under licence to Hufcor U.S.A.
  • 1997: Introduction of office screening systems to the product range, Ergo 50 and the patented Horizon system.
  • 1998: The first and only SABS marked Fire Door available on the South African market rolls off the Pelican Plant. September
  • 1999: Macsteel Interior Systems becomes a joint venture partner.
  • 2001: Flooring systems are introduced to Pelican's product offering.
  • 2003: New branch opens in Gauteng; Pelican Specialised Products Division.
  • 2004: Lafarge Gypsum S.A. acquires 100% of Macsteel Interior Systems and Pelican becomes a joint venture partner to Lafarge Gypsum S.A. 2005: ISO Quality Management Certification. 2005: Lafarge Gypsum S.A. buys Pelican's Ceilings and Partitions Export Division. April 2005: New branch opens in Pietermaritzurg. July
  • 2005: First Learnership programme.
  • 2006: Pelican sets up export division for specialised products operating from Gauteng.
  • 2006: New branch opens in Richards Bay
  • 2006: Pelican broadens its product offerings and services to cater for the residential markets from historically predominantly catering for the commercial markets.
  • 2007: Lafarge Gypsum opens its gypsum board manufacturing plant in Johannesburg. The new brand of Jumbo board is now being produced at this plant and Pelican is the exclusive distributor of all Jumbo branded Gypsum products in KZN.
  • 2008: Pelican sells its manufacturing division to newly formed Ifuba Products in order to focus on the core business of supplying Ceilings and Partition products into the building industry. We continue to sell specialised products such as Fire Doors and Hufcor but these are now manufactured and bought in from Ifuba Products.
  • 2009: New branch opens in Northern KZN –Newcastle

Pelican Systems BBBEE Certification

Pelican Systems has been certified as a Level Six BBBEE company. ... Read More

swing towards steel brandering

Steel brandering is increasingly being preferred to traditional timber brandering for both upmarket housing estates and domestic dwellings. ... Read More

Pelican Launches Web Store

PELICAN SYSTEMS has launched an industry first on line web store. ... Read More