a.b.e. were founded in 1932 but established in 1939 in Durban as a supplier of bitumen to municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal. a.b.e. has grown in both size and diversity to become a major supplier of specialised construction products to the building, civil engineering and building maintenance industries supplying product directly to its customers through its branch network as well as through builders' merchants and hardware stores, with manufacturing plants in Johannesburg (Boksburg) and Durban (Isipingo).

Supported by a network of branches and distributors throughout South Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian Ocean Islands and Pakistan a.b.e. is ideally positioned to service its customers.

The a.b.e. range of products fall into the following broad categories:

• waterproofing
• flooring
• specialised adhesives
• silicone and sealants
• concrete repair products
• roofing products