In 1968 Chris van der Merwe started a small tannery with his wife Francis van der Merwe, called Rhodesian Tanning in Marandellas, Zimbabwe. Francis worked with her husband in the Tannery, except when the children (Debbie, Andre and Sandy) were born.
In 1977 he moved it to Eagle Estates farm, which he bought, and build the largest Tannery in Rhodesia. They produced Gameskins, Bovine hides, and Elephant hides that they got a contract from the Government which was the largest culling operation in Africa. When the country became Zimbabwe they changed the name of the company to Eagle Tanning company. Chris van der Merwe sold the tannery in 1983.
He and his family moved to South Africa where he started Kwiktan. He joined forces with his old bank manager John Lewis in Krugersdorp.
Debbie’s Husband Grant and brother Andre began to get involved in the Factory. Chris bought the old Johannesburg tannery and Kwiktan grew even larger.
Chris sold his 50% shares to John and took on a new venture doing ostrich skins and started Windhoek tanning in Namibia.
In 1993 Chris moved back to South Africa to start Oryx Tanning. In 1998 he sold Oryx.
Grant and Andre then went on to buy Kwandebele Tanning and changed the name to Oasis Tanning on 2 November 1998 in Ekandustria Bronhorstspruit. Chris then re-joined the company. Debbie and Sandy began to get involved in the Factory when the company moved back to the old Oryx premises close to Randfontein in 2002 and it soon became the family business it is today, Oasis Tanning company.