PROFILE JOHN THOMPSON
of engineering excellence
JOHN THOMPSON
Marking a milestone in South Africa’ s industrial landscape, the John Thompson team reflects on its legacy of producing boilers, supporting energy projects, developing local skills, and advancing cleaner, future-focused power solutions.
John Thompson, a leading SA boiler manufacturer, service provider and division within the ACTOM group, celebrated its 90th year in business in August 2025 – a milestone for the division. Since 1935, the company has supplied and maintained industrial and utility boilers across the country, building a reputation for technical expertise, reliability, and long-term customer support.
A proudly South African legacy
The John Thompson story began in 1935 with the importation of boilers from the UK. The division evolved to full local
56 SA PROFILE www. saprofilemagazine. co. za manufacturing by 1954 at its Bellville factory in Cape Town, which remains the heart of the business’ s industrial operations today. Over the past 70 years, they’ ve produced approximately 5 000 package boilers and larger watertube boilers serving vital industries ranging from food and beverage to sugar processing.
“ Our journey of starting out as a boiler-building pioneer to becoming a comprehensive energy solution provider reflects a proud South African legacy that combines local expertise with global reach,” says Jaco Grobbelaar, CEO at John Thompson Industrial Division.