| 1980 |
| ARB founded by Chairman, Alan R Burke, operating from a shipping container in Richards Bay, with a single employee and a bakkie. |
| 1981 |
| Alan moved the operations from the shipping container and opened the doors to the Richards Bay branch. |
| 1988 |
| ARB opened a branch in Durban |
| 2000 |
| The Pietermaritzburg operation was acquired. |
| 2001 |
| ARB relocated its head office to a new 23 500m² site in Prospecton, effectively expanding the facility six-fold. |
| 2002 |
| ARB established a branch in Johannesburg. |
| 2003 |
| ARB established a branch in Cape Town. |
| 2004 |
| ARB expanded its national footprint by opening a branch in East London. |
| 2005 |
| ARB sold a 26% stake in its key operating subsidiary, ARB Electrical Wholesalers, to Batsomi Power to enhance its empowerment status. |
| 2006 |
| The Johannesburg branch relocated to a newly built 13 000m² premises in Alrode as the base for servicing neighbouring regions across both provincial and international borders. |
| 2007 |
| ARB acquired the operations of Xact Business Solutions to ensure the redevelopment of ARB's ERP software solution. ARB listed on the "Main Board" of the JSE. |
| 2008 |
| Entered Mpumalanga through the opening of the Nelspruit branch. |
| 2009 |
| ARB relocated the Cape Town branch to a newly developed 7 300m² premises in Montague Gardens. |
| 2010 |
| ARB entered Limpopo through the opening of a branch in Polokwane. ARB acquired Paragon Electrical, a leading electrical wholesaler operating in the Pretoria and Centurion areas. |
| 2012 |
| ARB acquired a 60% controlling interest in Eurolux, a leading importer and distributor of light fittings, lamps and ancillary electrical products in January. The acquisition of 100% of Industrial Cable Suppliers, with branches in central Johannesburg and Rustenburg, was completed in July. ARB signed exclusive distribution agreements with CTC Global and Fushi Copperweld. |
| 2013 |
| ARB acquired 100% of Elektro Vroomen, with branches in Bloemfontein and Kathu. Following this acquisition, ARB is represented in all nine provinces in South Africa. CED was incorporated to house the exclusive CHINT distribution agreement. Nexans Olex exclusive distribution agreement signed for certain specialised cable products. |
| 2014 |
| ARB enters into 5 year exclusive agreement on Fushi Copperweld and moves to a new purpose built branch in Nelspruit. |
| 2015 |
| Rustenburg and Bloemfontein branches relocate to new premises. |
| 2016 |
| Two new Connect branches are opened in Silver Lakes and Dieprivier and the Reuven branch is moved to Meadowdale. Eurolux modernises its Cape Town show room and launches the Crabtree retail Joint Venture. |
| 2018 |
| 60% of CraigCor Distribution company is acquired and a property is purchased in Lords View (Midrand) on which to build a Distribution Centre. The ARB Pinetown and Port Elizabeth branches are opened and East London moves to our newly built premise in Bowles Road. Eurolux launches the Euro Nouveau upper end lighting range and tools up for the new cable and moulded plug range. |
| 2019 |
| Eurolux acquires The Radiant Group for R96m and commences rationalisation of the two businesses. ARB builds and takes occupation of the R145m DC in Lords View. The ARB Pinetown Branch is closed. The Meadowdale branch is moved to Edenvale. |