PCI Africa has a very long and proud history dating back to the 1870’s when Frank Candy started the Candy Filter Company. The first records of Candy Filters being sold to South Africa, was in 1897. In the early twentieth century the Paterson Engineering Company and the candy filter company operated in Africa via agents.

In 1953 the Paterson Engineering Company registered a company in South Africa to perform their work locally. In 1964 the Paterson Engineering Company and the Candy Filter Company amalgamated to form Paterson Candy International South Africa (Pty) Limited.

During the 1970’s the Portals Water Company bought Paterson Candy along with three other water treatment, related companies and the group of companies operated under the banner of Portals Water Treatment.

During the early eighties, Paterson Candy International and various other companies were sold to Thames Water during the privatisation of the UK water industry. Paterson Candy then operated under the Thames banner of PWT Projects.

1997 – Saw the decision by Thames to sell off the non-core businesses and Paterson Candy was again sold to Black and Veatch, an American engineering firm which focuses on the water and power generation sectors.

2005 – Black and Veatch agreed to sell Paterson Candy International (SA) (Pty) Limited to a management consortium who have run the business since the early 1990’s.

2015 – the company was bought by EOH and included in the industrial division known as Nextec.

2020 – PCI Africa was once again bought out by management during the EOH unbundling of certain divisions and continues to operate as such.

The Company trades as PCI Africa Worldwide. The company is based in Gauteng, South Africa from where the company provides services predominantly to Africa but have also provided services to European and Asian Clients. The company’s regional experience covers a broad process capability across the water, wastewater and industrial treatment sectors.