In 1874, 12 years before Johannesburg was officially declared a mining camp by Paul Kruger, the firm of Schindler & Company Limited was established in Lucerne, Switzerland, for the manufacture of lifting equipment and machines. In 1949 Schindler Lifts (SA) (Pty) Limited was formed with offices, a workshop and factory in Johannesburg. Subsequently workshops, offices and stores in Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) were established.