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Technology · Electrical and electronic equipment

Allied Electric

Original electrical engineering company founded by Bill Venter and colleagues in 1965.

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Altron head office in Woodmead with the company name and South African flag
Altron’s Woodmead head office, published by ITWeb on 12 February 2026. Photo: Altron, via ITWeb · Source

Allied Electric was the original operating company behind the later Altron group. [3]

History

The business opened as United Electric on 1 April 1965. [3][2]

It adopted the Allied Electric name later that year. [3]

The enterprise developed into Allied Electronics Corporation and Altron. [3][4]

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Allied Electric?

Bill Venter and several colleagues established the company. [3]

What did it make?

It made electrical and electronic power-control products. [3]

What did it become?

It supplied the operating base for the later Altron group. [3][1]

Key milestones

  1. United Electric opened in Johannesburg. [3]

  2. The company adopted the Allied Electric name. [3]

Founded / co-founded by

  • Bill Venter — Telecommunications engineer who founded the business that became Altron in 1965.

Related articles

Related institutions

  • Altron — JSE-listed South African technology group founded by Bill Venter in 1965.

Sources

  1. Altron, About us and company timeline. Original source. Accessed 2026-11-13. ↩
  2. Altron, Over 60 years of solving real-world problems, 2025-04-01. Original source. Accessed 2026-11-13. ↩
  3. Altron, Altron founder steps down from board, 2018-07-31. Original source. Accessed 2026-11-13. ↩
  4. Altron, Annual financial statements 2026, 2026-05-25. Original source. Accessed 2026-11-13. ↩