Master Drilling México, S.A. De C.V. - 27410 Torreón

The idea for the formation of Master Drilling was born in the Northern Cape province of South Africa when Danie Pretorius, the company’s founder, identified a gap in the sector for innovative raiseboring related services. Combining his engineering background, experience and a network of acquaintances in the mining industry, he realised that the time was right to venture out and start a business of his own. Master Drilling then went on to sign its very first contract with Elandsrand mine, close to Carletonville (west of Gauteng).

A year after Master Drilling was established, Cullinan Mine (formally Premier Mine situated near Pretoria in the Gauteng Province) requested a specially designed machine for one of its projects - one that was able to drill through passes and one that would be a true test for Master Drilling’s technology. With a limited budget, Master Drilling was able to design and build the rig, a first of its kind in South Africa. This triumph marked the start of an 18-year relationship as well as the accelerated growth of the company within the mining sector.

The decision was made very early on to diversify [IB4] Master Drilling’s operations; focusing on key expansion opportunities and partnerships. Its move into South America, and subsequent organic growth, created a solid platform from which to extend the business. This led to Master Drilling’s footprint expanding to Peru, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Burkina Faso Today, the company operates across more than 20 countries, spanning multiple regions) .

The fundamental success of the company resulted in a listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in 2012, opening a broader investor base and allowing Master Drilling to accelerate its growth ambitions as a multinational leader in drilling technology services.