Cox Manufacturing
Cox Manufacturing is a privately-held South African HVAC and mining ventilation manufacturer founded in 2005 in Durban, operating a 1,600m² factory with ~50 staff. It designs, fabricates, and installs ductwork, spiral ducting, fans, and air filtration systems for AC contractors, factories, and mines across Southern Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersDurban, South Africa
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cox Manufacturing does
Cox Manufacturing is a South African HVAC and mining ventilation manufacturer headquartered in Durban, founded in 2005 by Mike Cox. The company operates a 1,600m² factory with approximately 50 dedicated staff, plus a satellite factory established in East London to serve the Mercedes Benz paintshop project. Revenue derives from two streams: hardware sales of manufactured ventilation components and turn-key installation services for AC contractors, factories, and mines. The business operates on a sales-led, quote-based B2B model with custom project pricing and no publicly disclosed rates.
Cox manufactures a comprehensive range of ductwork and ventilation components including standard ductwork (mild steel, galvanized steel, stainless steel, aluminum, PVC, and plastic), spiral ductwork in diameters from 150mm to 1500mm at speeds up to 35m/min, fully welded ductwork up to 5mm thick for kitchen exhausts and high-pressure applications, kitchen canopies, silencers, axial flow fans (315-2000mm), polyprop fans for corrosive fumes, centrifugal fans, and fire-retardant flexible ductwork. Production relies on a two-stage cut-to-length automatic duct manufacturing line with CNC precision. Notable credentials include aluminum welding certification (described as rare in South Africa), ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 compliance for the HEPA 1000V Virus Filtration Unit, and dedicated mining-ventilation capabilities via the Cox Mining subsidiary. The HEPA 1000V, launched in 2021, is a multi-stage mobile air purifier with G4 pre-filtration, 99.995% HEPA secondary filtration (EN 1822), and UV-C sterilization for 40-200m² indoor spaces.
The customer base spans blue-chip end users (Mercedes Benz, Toyota, Woolworths, Spar, Clover, Illovo, Mondi, Standard Bank, Nedbank, bsn medical, First Quantum Minerals) and a network of long-tenured channel partners (Homeaire, Combined Air Services, JT Ross Construction, RJ Southey Holdings, Whitfields, Rovac Engineering, Action Air). Geographic reach covers KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Zambia, and Mauritius. The company is privately held, founder-operated, with no disclosed external funding or institutional investors.
Cox Manufacturing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cox Manufacturing
- Legal name
- Cox Manufacturing
- Website
- https://cox-manufacturing.co.za
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cox Manufacturing is a privately-held South African HVAC and mining ventilation manufacturer founded in 2005 in Durban, operating a 1,600m² factory with ~50 staff. It designs, fabricates, and installs ductwork, spiral ducting, fans, and air filtration systems for AC contractors, factories, and mines across Southern Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cox Manufacturing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- HVAC Ductwork and Ventilation Equipment
- NAICS
- Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334), Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413), Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415)
- SIC
- Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ventilation, Ducting & Air Distribution Equipment (IMAHAKAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Air Quality & Filtration Equipment (IAQ) (IMAHAKAI), HVAC & Refrigeration Contracting (IMAFALAB)
Keywords
Where Cox Manufacturing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Durban
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
Cox Manufacturing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- HVAC Product Manufacturing and Sales: Manufacturing and sales of air-conditioning and ventilation components including ductwork, spiral ducting, welded ductwork, kitchen ventilation, silencers, canopies, and ventilation equipment
- Installation Services: Turn-key installation services including certified scaffold erectors when requested, covering ductwork installations, extractor fan installations, chimney installations, and ventilation installations
- Mining Division Products: Mine ventilation products including axial flow fans (315-2000mm), polyprop fans for corrosive fumes, centrifugal fans, and flexible ductwork in fire retardant and anti-static materials
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom quotation-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Cox Manufacturing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cox Manufacturing designs, fabricates, and installs air-conditioning and ventilation components including sheet metal ductwork, spiral ducting (150-1500mm diameter), welded ductwork in mild steel/stainless steel/aluminium, kitchen canopies, silencers, axial/centrifugal/polyprop fans, and the HEPA 1000V virus filtration unit. The company operates a 1600m2 automated factory in Durban and provides turn-key installation services for air-conditioning companies, factories, mines, and commercial buildings across Southern Africa, Mauritius, and neighbouring countries.
Product overview
Cox Manufacturing is an HVAC and mining ventilation manufacturing company operating since 2005, with a 1600m2 factory and 50 dedicated staff. The company operates two divisions: an HVAC Division manufacturing ductwork products (including standard ductwork, spiral ductwork, welded ductwork, kitchen ventilation, silencers, canopies, and installation services) and a Mining Division (branded as Cox Mining) producing ventilation equipment (axial flow fans, polyprop fans, centrifugal fans, flexible ductwork). The company also offers a specialized Virus Filtration Unit – Hepa 1000V for indoor air quality. Products are manufactured in mild steel, galvanised steel, stainless steel, aluminium, PVC and plastic. The company provides turn-key installation services including fume extraction, dust extraction, spray booths, and sound attenuation solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Virus Filtration Unit – HEPA 1000V Mobile air filtration unit that filters airborne viruses to hospital theatre standards using multi-stage HEPA filtration and UV-C sterilization; intended for offices, hospitals, gyms, churches, auditoriums and other indoor commercial spaces.
- Sheet Metal Ductwork Custom sheet metal ductwork manufactured on a two-stage cut-to-length automatic duct manufacturing line with CNC precision; available in mild steel, galvanised steel, stainless steel, aluminium, PVC and plastic for air-conditioning and ventilation systems.
- Spiral Ductwork Round spiral ducting manufactured from 150mm to 1500mm diameter at speeds up to 35m per minute; stronger with less leakage than conventional ductwork, suitable for high pressure applications and mine ventilation.
- Welded Ductwork Fully welded ductwork fabricated in mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminium up to 5mm thick; designed for kitchen exhausts and high pressure industrial applications.
- Kitchen Ventilation Canopies and Exhaust Hoods Traditional kitchen canopies and industrial exhaust hoods for commercial and industrial kitchen ventilation applications.
- Axial Flow Fans Heavy and light duty axial aerofoil fans ranging from 315mm to 2000mm, available in direct and belt drive configurations; used for mine ventilation.
- Polyprop (Plastic) Fans Medium and high pressure plastic radial fans for extracting corrosive or hazardous fumes, vapours or gases.
- Centrifugal Fans Full range of centrifugal fans including blowers, backward curve, forward curve, single and double inlet fans in heavy duty construction.
- Flexible Ductwork PVC flexible duct available in fire retardant and anti-static materials for ductwork systems.
- Silencers and Acoustic Louvers Full range of silencers including rectangular silencers, round silencers and acoustic louvers used to reduce noise levels of plant equipment.
- Spray Booths Enclosed or semi-enclosed areas for spray painting of fabricated items, supplied as part of industrial ventilation installations.
- Turn-key Installation Services Full installation of all Cox products including certified scaffold erectors when requested; covers ductwork, extractor fan, chimney, and ventilation installations across Durban and KwaZulu-Natal.
- Flanged Products (Fan Flanges, Pipe Joints, Support Brackets) Rolled sections including fan flanges, pipe joints and support brackets for industrial applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- 26,000m2 of ductwork supplied for Mercedes Benz East London paintshop - completed on time and successfully commissioned December 2019
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Cox Manufacturing
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Cox Manufacturing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Cox Manufacturing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.
- Combined Air ServicescoreCustomer relationship spanning 5+ years. Supplies sheet metal ducting. Testimonial indicates super service and great product with professional, friendly team.
- Homeairecore10+ year relationship. Homeaire is Sales Director Simon Berry's company. Cox provides quality ducting with excellent coordination between design, pricing and installation. Large projects include Church of the Holy Ghost (Hammersdale), CMH Nissan (Durban), Nu Metro (Ballito).
- Action AirminorInstallation partner for Durban Waste Recycle Centre project.
- JT Ross ConstructioncoreGeneral contractor for RCL Foods Westville project. Cox supplied AC & Vent ductwork to new office block.
- RJ Southey HoldingscoreClient for Mpact Felixton paper mill project. Cox manufactured fully welded high pressure galvanized steel, stainless steel & aluminium ductwork.
- Mercedes Benz East LondonflagshipSole supplier of approximately 26,000m2 of ductwork for paintshop ventilation. Dedicated factory set up in East London exclusively for this prestigious project. Completed December 2019.
- First Quantum Minerals LtdcoreKansanshi Mine Zambia project - high pressure spiral ducting for underground mining.
- Rovac EngineeringminorInstallation partner for Illovo Zambia sugar mill ventilation and dust extract project.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cox Manufacturing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AAON: US manufacturer of commercial and industrial HVAC equipment including air-handling units, rooftop units, and custom HVAC solutions. Comparable to Cox as a custom-engineered HVAC manufacturer serving commercial and industrial customers.
- Booyco Engineering: South African specialist in mine ventilation and occupational safety equipment, including underground ventilation systems. Directly comparable to Cox Mining division in product focus and South African mining customer base.
- Loren Cook Company: Manufacturer of fans, blowers, and air-handling equipment for commercial, industrial, and institutional HVAC applications. Comparable to Cox on centrifugal/axial fans and ventilation product mix serving contractors and end users.
- Greenheck: US-based manufacturer of commercial and industrial fans, blowers, dampers, louvers, and air-handling equipment. Closely aligned with Cox's range of ductwork, fans, and ventilation components for commercial and industrial customers.
- Howden: Global manufacturer of industrial fans, axial and centrifugal blowers, and mine ventilation equipment. Highly comparable to Cox's HVAC + Cox Mining divisions in product portfolio and end markets including mining, heavy industry, and HVAC.
Broad incumbents
- Carrier Global: Global HVAC and refrigeration equipment manufacturer with broad product lines in air-conditioning, ventilation, and air quality. Overlaps with Cox's HVAC product portfolio as a much larger incumbent serving similar commercial and industrial end markets.
- Lennox International: Global HVAC systems and equipment manufacturer covering commercial and industrial heating, cooling, and ventilation. Comparable in end-market and broad HVAC product positioning, though at materially larger scale than Cox.
- Systemair: Global HVAC company producing fans, air-handling units, and ventilation products for commercial and industrial buildings. Comparable product range to Cox's ductwork, fans, and air distribution equipment.
- FläktGroup: European HVAC and air-handling equipment manufacturer with a broad portfolio of fans, air-handling units, and ventilation solutions. Overlaps significantly with Cox's commercial and industrial HVAC offering but at much larger global scale.
Regional players
- Actom: South African electrical and mechanical engineering group with HVAC, air-handling, and industrial ventilation capabilities. Comparable to Cox as a regional South African industrial/HVAC manufacturer and installer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cox Manufacturing social profiles
Digital presenceCox Manufacturing compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Cox Manufacturing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cox Manufacturing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Cox Manufacturing subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Cox Manufacturing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cox Manufacturing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cox Manufacturing
What does Cox Manufacturing do?
Cox Manufacturing designs, fabricates, and installs air-conditioning and ventilation components including sheet metal ductwork, spiral ducting (150-1500mm diameter), welded ductwork in mild steel/stainless steel/aluminium, kitchen canopies, silencers, axial/centrifugal/polyprop fans, and the HEPA 1000V virus filtration unit. The company operates a 1600m2 automated factory in Durban and provides turn-key installation services for air-conditioning companies, factories, mines, and commercial buildings across Southern Africa, Mauritius, and neighbouring countries.
Is Cox Manufacturing a public or private company?
Cox Manufacturing is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cox Manufacturing founded?
Cox Manufacturing was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cox Manufacturing based?
Cox Manufacturing is headquartered in Durban, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Cox Manufacturing make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. HVAC Product Manufacturing and Sales are the primary driver. The others are installation Services and mining Division Products.
Who are Cox Manufacturing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AAON, Booyco Engineering, Loren Cook Company, Greenheck and Howden. Broad incumbents are Carrier Global, Lennox International, Systemair and FläktGroup. Actom is listed as a regional player.
Does Cox Manufacturing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cox Manufacturing.
What industry is Cox Manufacturing in?
Cox Manufacturing's product category is HVAC Ductwork and Ventilation Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAKAG, Ventilation, Ducting & Air Distribution Equipment, with a secondary code of IMAHAKAI, Air Quality & Filtration Equipment (IAQ). Its NAICS code is 3334 and its SIC code is 3585.