News & events


Goodbye Mr Chips of the hydraulics industry

Third Quarter 2021 News & events

Reginald Pretorius, a veteran of the hydraulics industry, recently bade farewell to Hydrasales and the industry after a long and distinguished career. Popularly known as Oom Reg, this jovial personality has an affable manner with everyone he engages with. Starting as a diesel mechanic in 1965, his versatility allowed him to move into training, production, sales and sales management. He started the Hydrasales Cape Town branch in 1985. With hard work he established an influential market niche and was promoted to branch manager in Johannesburg. He then moved to (then) Port Elizabeth to start his own business and returned to Johannesburg with a hippy ponytail. This was very hip for our Oom.


Oom Reg.

Reg’s experience with the Hydrasales ranges of hydraulic filters and accessories made him a very valuable reference for his colleagues. “Do not stress. You will not learn the full range. Learn to use the catalogues and know where to find the information,” he would calmly explain. Despite being a product of an earlier generation, Oubaas was tech savvy. He built a collection of jokes in his swipe file and used his humour to his advantage by building relationships with his customers. His most memorable moment was “Our trip to Milan visiting the Italian trade show and supplier facilities. It was my first time in Italy and I still cherish the experience”.

We acknowledge the contribution this gentle giant has made to Hydrasales and the industry over five decades. He and his wife Jeanette plan to enjoy their smallholding and working the soil. Go well Oom Reg.


Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Bosch Rexroth Africa announces retirement of COO, Mike Harrison
Bosch Rexroth Africa News & events
Bosch Rexroth Africa would like to announce the retirement of one of its stalwarts. Group chief operating officer, Mike Harrison will retire at the end of the year. His retirement marks the end of a remarkable career spanning 34 years.

Read more...
Selection of two-port valves: an open and shut case
SMC Corporation South Africa News & events
Little consideration is generally given to 2-port valves because they are often perceived as simple devices that only open and close to control downstream fluid supply. Although this is mechanically true, choosing the optimal 2-port valve for your application can make a big difference, saving space, weight and energy consumption.

Read more...
MeerKAT radio telescope array
Editor's Choice News & events
Leading consulting engineering and infrastructure advisory practice, Zutari is continuing its involvement with the world-leading MeerKAT radio telescope array, where it has played a leading role since the project first broke ground.

Read more...
From the editor's desk: The weakest link
Technews Publishing News & events
Lately I’ve been getting an ever-increasing number of articles on cybersecurity in my inbox. It’s easy to put it on the backburner, but there is no doubt that this is a very serious problem that’s not ...

Read more...
SEW-EURODRIVE’s growing local range drives entry into new markets
SEW-EURODRIVE News & events
SEW-EURODRIVE is rolling out an even greater selection of planetary drives as part of its strategy to ‘close the loop’ in its product offerings by expanding into more industry sectors, showcasing new opportunities for industrial gearbox users.

Read more...
STEMulator – a gift to the youth of the nation
News & events
STEMulator is a groundbreaking virtual platform designed to ignite the spark of curiosity in young minds, and stimulate their interest in STEM subjects. An initiative of the National Science and Technology Forum, STEMulator recently launched its free virtual school on National Youth Day.

Read more...
The just energy transition starts at the Solar Youth Academy
News & events
Life Choices and GREEN Solar Academy are breaking ground with tangible results from their Solar Youth Academy. Their aim is to produce work-ready interns for the solar industry.

Read more...
Parker join forces for FIA World Rallycross season
Parker Hannifin - Sales Company South Africa News & events
Parker Hannifin and the CE Dealer Team by Volvo Construction Equipment will join forces once again for the FIA World Rallycross 2024 season, marking two years of partnership dedicated to advancing electrification on and off the racing track.

Read more...
SKF and Hansen Motorsport align for 2024 World RX season
SKF South Africa News & events
Hansen Motorsport, at the forefront of rallycross for over 30 years, will be forming an alliance for the 2024 FIA World Rallycross Championship with SKF.

Read more...
Enhancing industrial safety
News & events
Yaskawa has an enduring partnership with Axelent, a premier manufacturer of industrial safety solutions. For nearly two decades, Yaskawa has relied on Axelent’s innovative safety products to enhance the protection and efficiency of robotic facilities.

Read more...