Built over decades.
Built by family.

MSR was founded in 1986 by Manuel Ribeiro as a structural and mechanical engineering company. Four decades later, the MSR Group combines proprietary electrochemical technology, specialist equipment manufacturing, precision machining and component refurbishment.

Under second-generation leadership, MSR is building on that industrial heritage through continued investment in technology, modern manufacturing capability and new market applications.

Engineered for Performance.
Trusted for Reliability.

Our heritage

Our history of industrial progress

For four decades, we have manufactured industrial equipment and supplied machined replacement components & maintenance spares to heavy industry. When MSR acquired Can-Tech™ B.V. in 2014, its electrochemical technology lineage, dating back to 1930, became part of the MSR story. The timeline below shows the milestones that shaped the MSR Group we are today.

Abstract arrangement of overlapping blue circles of various sizes, with one white circle near the center, creating a dynamic and modern design.
Black and white historical photo of five men standing behind a large circular table with a textured surface in an industrial setting, with graphic text in the lower left corner reading '90 Years In Motion'.

1930

Jonge Poerink begins specialist industrial screening production

Abstract arrangement of overlapping blue circles of various sizes, with one white circle near the center, creating a dynamic and modern design.
Workers gathered around a large circular industrial screen at Jonge Poerink

1975

Can-Tech B.V. begins chlor-alkali diaphragm cell electrolyzer manufacture in Netherlands

Abstract arrangement of overlapping blue circles of various sizes, with one white circle near the center, creating a dynamic and modern design.
Black-and-white photo of a man with a beard sitting at a drafting table holding a pipe in his mouth and a pencil in his hand, surrounded by drafting tools, papers, and a calculator.

1986

MSR established as an industrial fabrication and machine shop in South Africa

Abstract arrangement of overlapping blue circles of various sizes, with one white circle near the center, creating a dynamic and modern design.
Engineer at a drawing board holding a set square

1991

MSR embarks on long-term diaphragm cathode refurbishment for Sasol

Abstract arrangement of overlapping blue circles of various sizes, with one white circle near the center, creating a dynamic and modern design.
Three large industrial electrical transformers aligned side by side inside a spacious factory with large windows and metal beams.

1995

MSR awarded its first air cooled heat exchangers by Eskom

Abstract arrangement of overlapping blue circles of various sizes, with one white circle near the center, creating a dynamic and modern design.
Two men shaking hands in front of a large shiny metal industrial vessel secured on a flatbed trailer with straps, with a sign that reads 'M&R Engineering' partially visible, taken outdoors at dusk with a cloudy sky and industrial background.

1999

MSR delivers its first stainless steel pressure vessel to Omnia, a leading fertilizer & explosives company

Abstract arrangement of overlapping blue circles of various sizes, with one white circle near the center, creating a dynamic and modern design.
Close-up of diaphragm cathode grid fingers and internal structure

2006

Fabrication of diaphragm cathodes under licensing agreement from Eltech Systems (Ohio)

Abstract arrangement of overlapping blue circles of various sizes, with one white circle near the center, creating a dynamic and modern design.
MDC/ACC 55-1 diaphragm cathode with copper plate being lifted from a tank

2008

Fabrication of MDC and later ACC 55-1 diaphragm cathodes under licensing agreement from Can-Tech B.V. (Netherlands)

Abstract arrangement of overlapping blue circles of various sizes, with one white circle near the center, creating a dynamic and modern design.
Large industrial metal heat exchanger component with layered fins and mesh sides, placed on black floor in a workshop with shelves and equipment in the background.

2012

MSR enters into licensing agreement with De Nora (Italy) for diaphragm cathode manufacture

Abstract arrangement of overlapping blue circles of various sizes, with one white circle near the center, creating a dynamic and modern design.
Logo with stylized letters MSR in blue, followed by an abstract design of overlapping blue circles of varying sizes forming a cluster.

2015

Formation of MSR Can-Tech Cathodes following strategic acquisition of Can-TechTM  including technology, fabrication drawings, jigs, and specialist tooling for in-house manufacture of cathode can inners

Abstract arrangement of overlapping blue circles of various sizes, with one white circle near the center, creating a dynamic and modern design.
Manuel and David Ribeiro standing together in the MSR workshop

2025

MSR’s operating businesses are integrated under a single Group structure, giving customers coordinated access to technology, manufacturing and industrial capability through one accountable partner.

Leadership

A legacy carried forward

In 2025, MSR entered its second generation of leadership when David Ribeiro assumed day-to-day leadership of the Group from his father, Manuel Ribeiro.

David is a mechanical engineering graduate and holds an MBA from Wits Business School. He brings more than 25 years of international industry experience spanning engineering, major capital-project delivery, project management, commercial, strategy and business development.

His career includes senior leadership roles at Fluor, Wood and KBR. Before joining MSR, David served as Global Vice President of Sales and Business Development for KBR’s Asset Performance Solutions business, where his focus included advanced maintenance, asset management and performance optimisation for major industrial operating facilities.

Today, David serves as Group CEO of the MSR Group and Managing Director of its operating companies. He holds overall responsibility for the Group’s strategy, operations, commercial performance, investment and growth, and is leading its expansion into new technologies, capabilities and markets. Manuel continues to contribute his experience and perspective as Founder and Executive Director.

Two men smiling and posing together in an industrial setting with machinery in the background; one man is bald wearing a white polo shirt, the other has gray hair and is wearing a light button-up shirt.
Contact MSR

Talk to our team

Whether you have a specific equipment requirement, need support with an existing component, or want to discuss how MSR can support your operation, we’ll direct your enquiry to the right team.

Contact MSR
Contact MSR