History

OLEO's wonderful journey over the past century

1934

Undercarriage strut developed using a free floating piston by Oleo’s founder Peter Thornhill.
This breakthrough was the seed of invention which eventually led to the Oleo rail buffer.

1951

Patent lodged by Peter Thornhill for hydraulic railway buffer

1951

First railway buffers are tested by British Rail

1952

Business becomes known as Oleo Pneumatics Limited

1957

Heavy Wagon buffers are produced

1960

1000 hydraulic buffers to British Rail per week

1961

First Oleo Draft Gear produced for British Rail guard vans

1964

Oleo adapted standard rail buffers to suit the industrial market

1964

Introduction of type 5 UIC 526 buffer (multiplying valve)

1966

Introduced 400mm stroke buffer

1971

Distributors appointed for industrial sector

1972

1.6m stroke crane buffer produced

1973

Container shock absorber introduced.

1976

Lightweight range of industrial buffers introduced

1977

New 10000 m² manufacturing facility commenced production.

1982

Introduced basic computer simulation calculations.

1981 – 84

Elevator buffers introduced

1985 – 86

Entry into coupler capsule market

1986

Oleo Inc.founded in USA

1986

1D Simulation Software offered

1987

High Speed Elevator buffers LB50/55

1990

First anti-climber units produced

1992

Low temperature buffer developed for Scandinavia

1992

LDi buffer range produced

1992

Designed and built Titan test rig for testing rail buffers

1994

Designed and built endurance rigs

2002

Oleo patented deforming element technology

2006

Oleo founded factory in Shanghai

2009

T A Savery & Company Limited acquired Oleo

2010

Muff to muff coupler developed

2011

Oleo began trading in India

2011

Multi body dynamics simulation software developed.

2013

Office and service center opened in Germany

2013

1D Rail simulation software available by license online

2014

Ultra-High Speed Lift buffer range launched

2014

Oleo built 32m high purpose built test tower to test Ultra-High Speed Lift range of hydraulic buffers

2015

Oleo launch Type 1 Industrial buffer

2015

T A Savery & Co Limited win the Queens Award for International Trade 2015

2021

K extension series dedicated to the Korea Elevator market