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In 1965 Murray Stewart and Clifford Harris formed a company they called Much Binder with an asphalt premix plant at the Tableview Quarry in Cape Town. This was soon followed by another at Peak Quarry in Eerste River.
The company changed its name to Much Asphalt in 1969 and extended its footprint with branches in Gqeberha and then East London. A long-term supply contract with the Gqeberha City Council remains in place today.Much went big from the start, winning the largest single asphalt supply contract at the time for runways at OR Tambo Airport.
Much trialed the first wet method bitumen rubber asphalt in South Africa. This product was used to overlay a concrete section of the N2 in 1985. It still stands strong today.
Murray & Roberts
By the time Much Asphalt became part of the Murray & Roberts construction group in 1986, it had plants across South Africa’s major cities.Quality assurance was key to a loyal customer base. Much Asphalt’s Central Laboratory at the Eerste River Plant became the first commercial asphalt lab to be accredited by SANAS.
East Coast Asphalt
East Coast Asphalt was established as a joint venture between Much Asphalt & the Independent Group, to become the leading asphalt supplier in the Eastern Cape.
Capitalworks
In 2013, after 27 years together, Murray & Roberts and Much Asphalt parted ways. A new partnership between Capitalworks Private Equity, the Mineworkers Investment Company, and several senior executives, acquired 100% of Much.
SprayPave
Much Asphalt added more value to the group in 2015 with the acquisition of SprayPave from Basil Read.
Old Mutual & Sphere Investments
Another ownership change came in 2017 when Much Asphalt became part of the AECI group.In 2025 Old Mutual Private Equity and Sphere Investments, alongside members of the Much Asphalt management team, acquired the company from AECI.
A LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE
In 2025 Much Asphalt celebrated its 60th anniversary. While we have changed over the years with sustainability in mind, we remain true to our promises to our stakeholders. And our values are still at the core of every decision we make.
Much Asphalt has built a unique and trusted brand built upon its roots, its commitment to all customers, its people, the quality of its products, and the future of its industry. We are proud to be entering a new phase in our journey, led by an experienced and committed management team. Our people have lived our values and bedded down our culture for 60 years. The Much Way of doing business comes from them and is dedicated to them.
Much Asphalt aims to exceed customer expectations by delivering extraordinary service. We believe, as we have believed for 60 years, that this is The Much Way.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
For a quote or to enquire about our services, please select a branch to email directly with your exact specifications below.
