About Pitchline Engineering

Pitchline Engineering is a versatile, ISO-certified manufacturing facility.

Our primary services include CNC turning, CNC milling, grinding, rubber molding, and gear cutting.

Pitchline Engineering (Pty) Ltd was established in 1984 by the Oldridge brothers, alongside their father, in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal. The company was formed with the assistance of a loan from the Small Business Development Corporation (S.B.D.C., now known as Business Partners). The primary objective behind the creation of Pitchline Engineering was to introduce the concept of Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machining and production to the Natal market. At the time, this was an innovative and unfamiliar concept in the local engineering sector. The company specifically focused on offering small to medium production runs, a business model that was relatively new to the region.

From its inception in 1984 through to 1989, Pitchline Engineering quickly grew and expanded its operations, broadening its manufacturing capabilities to cater to a variety of industries, including the textile, medical, agricultural, and automotive sectors. In addition to its diversified industrial applications, the company also developed a specialization in gear cutting, further strengthening its position in the market. Pitchline Engineering’s rapid growth during this period allowed the company to establish itself as a key player in the region’s engineering landscape, providing services that were previously unavailable in the local industry.

In 1989, Pitchline secured a significant loan from the Industrial Development Corporation (I.D.C.), which enabled the company to purchase additional machinery, expand its factory, and venture into the production of its own Gang-Tool Type CNC lathes. These six machines were pivotal in enabling the company to continue producing small component runs, which became a hallmark of their operations. The decision to manufacture their own CNC lathes was a strategic move that helped further establish Pitchline’s technological expertise and commitment to advancing local manufacturing capabilities.

A major milestone came in 1990 when Pitchline Engineering took the next step in diversifying its business operations by founding ManuMark (Pty) Ltd. ManuMark was created as the marketing arm for Pitchline’s air brake repair kits, which were manufactured in-house. These kits, branded under the name “ManuMark,” formed a critical part of the company’s product portfolio and served a growing demand in the automotive industry. Today, the ManuMark range includes nearly 600 different air brake repair kits,

Pitchline developed an Automatic Barfeeder range, which has been commercially available for nearly 20 years and is successfully used within our own operations. In 2004, the company began a major factory expansion and introduced a new generation of CNC lathes, taking low-cost manufacturing to a new level. Of the 10 machines produced, two feature dual functionality, combining turning and milling.

We have had a 25-year partnership with Bell Equipment Company, from whom we have received numerous awards, including “Supplier of the Year 2004: Machined Components Category.”

Both Pitchline and ManuMark hold DQS ISO 9001:2008 certification.

Pitchline Engineering (Pty) Ltd and ManuMark (Pty) Ltd are registered with the Department of Labour in compliance with the Employment Equity Act, and the companies employ a team of 30 people.

Meet Our Team

Bobby Porter

Sous Chef

Jeremy Elliot

Chef

Bianca Powell

Pastry Chef

Johnny Jordan

Executive Chef

Eugene Collins

Meat Chef

Jonathan Dean

Desert Chef