1960s · Our History
Cor Molenaar
In 1962, Cor Molenaar — who had graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cape Town — set off for the United States, working for canning companies including the Green Giant Company and Del Monte.
Through U.S. fruit-packaging engineers Atlas Pacific, already doing business in South Africa, Cor became familiar with pear peelers. So when he returned home in 1963 he joined H.G. Molenaar as sales and service manager and started the agency for Atlas Pacific pear-peeling machines — the beginning of a long association with leading U.S. companies.
In 1965 the then-leader in peach-pitting machinery, Filper, was represented by an agency that had not fared well in South Africa. H.G. Molenaar recovered the core of that business and it began to flourish. Sensing the company’s keenness and vigour, Filper acquired a half-share in H.G. Molenaar in 1968 — and the company began manufacturing a wider range of machines for a broader market.
As fruit tonnages grew and the need for more processing factories increased, the decades that followed were characterised by rapid growth for H.G. Molenaar.
