The company was founded in 1931, in Doornfontein, by brothers Sydney and Morris Seeff under the name “Sydmore Engineering Works (Pty) Ltd”. They manufactured items such as builders’ hardware, steel door frames and bed irons. Later, the company ventured into producing structural steelwork, electricity pylons and fire escapes, many of which are still standing today.

The brothers went on to become the largest manufacturers of steel window frames and roof sheeting in South Africa listing two companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Power Steel and Morlite, which were later sold, while the holding company, Symo Corporation was retained by the family. Sydney and Morris were awarded numerous patents, the most famous of which was their invention to curve profiled roof sheeting which is used in architectural buildings throughout the world.

Symo continued producing builders’ hardware, and were also South Africa’s largest manufacturer of heavy duty racking, shelving and telephone booths. In 2007 the family disposed of all the manufacturing operations so that they could concentrate and expand on their property and private equity investments.