Company profile
With a trading record that goes back to 1826, OLCO is one of the oldest companies serving the Southern African market. OLCO specializes in the wholesale distribution of all hardware merchandise. OLCO products are sold to customers through our sales team which has a combined experience in this industry of over a 100 years; serving independent stores and blue chip company groups alike. OLCO has stood the test of time because it cares about and values its staff, customers, products and community.
It operates with the highest standard of integrity and honesty, and continually aspires to be a respected and valued supplier in its markets.
History
Our humble roots began with the immigration from Germany to South Africa of the remarkable Mr Otto Landsberg in the year 1818. Mr Landsberg became a successful artist, art-teacher, musician and snuff merchant, amongst his other endeavors. His merchant business initially started in the year 1826 and went on to include numerous successful business interests under the Otto Landsberg name and subsequently named OLCO (Otto Landsberg Company/Otto Landsberg Maatskappyegroep). The company has in the last half century changed hands and continued into ‘new-seasons’ in its long history.
Current shareholders are proud of the great heritage and history of OLCO, and look forward to continued success under the same principles of hard work, respect and the high standards of morals and ethics that Mr Otto Landsberg started the company with all those many years ago.
Mr. Otto Landsberg died in Cape Town in the year 1905, at the age of 102. Having lived and achieved enough to cover many lifetimes, and even playing the piano almost up to the day of his death he retained his vitality and energy to the end.
Below a extract about the founder of OLCO Mr.Otto Landsberg, from the newspaper ‘The South African News’, May 7, 1903 “…and so with another firm handshake, the pressman took his leave and passed down the garden path. At the gate, he turned in response to another hearty ‘goodbye’ from an old gentleman (Otto Landsberg), who erect and vigorous stood framed in the thick branches of the vine and honeysuckle that twined round the porch – proud of his 100 years, happy in his people and his adopted country, looking out with the love and kindly tolerance of age and experience on all the great world”