Steers Group Limited is one of Atlantic Canada’s leading and longest established international distribution companies, with roots going back more than 135 years.
The company is named after John Steer, who left England for Newfoundland in the second half of the nineteenth century to start up the business. In 1876, he launched a firm called Steers Brothers in St. John’s which participated in the province’s general trade business for almost 50 years. In 1926, Calvert C. Pratt purchased the assets of Steers Brothers, incorporated the company as Steers Limited, and assumed the position of President.
During the 1930's, Pratt developed Steers primarily into a wholesale firm selling hardware, groceries and dry goods and established an agency department selling flour from the International Milling Co. of U.S.A., products of General Foods Inc. of New York, and goods of other agencies.
During this time, Pratt also sold codfish on the international market and formed an insurance department. During the war, he organized a division called "Foreign Department" which specialized in sales to the U.S. Armed Forces and a "Marine Department" to build wooden mine sweepers for the British Admiralty.
Pratt was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1946 in recognition of his war efforts, and has been inducted into the Newfoundland and Labrador Business Hall of Fame.
Calvert Pratt continued to run the Steers business for a number of years, and expanded operations to Corner Brook, Lewisporte and Clarenville. He was eventually succeeded by his sons, Calvert and Ewart, who continued to operate the business until 1978. At this time, they decided to divest their ownership in the business right across the province.
Individual locations were sold off separately with Allan Noseworthy acquiring the Corner Brook-based business in 1978. Noseworthy renamed the business Steers C.B. Limited to distinguish it from other Steers locations in the province. Noseworthy operated the business until 1983, when he sold it to Lloyd Bennett, Junior Jackson, and Rod White. These three operated the business until the autumn of 2006, when Steers and a sister company, Stafford Agencies, were acquired by Bruce Keating and Allan Kendall.
The business today boasts a broad range of flooring, furniture, appliance, heating, ventilation, plumbing, hardware, and building supply products for customers in Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Maritime provinces. We source products from around the globe, and support this with almost 70,000 square feet of space in our distribution facilities. The sales and customer care team prides itself on long-term relationships and personal service that will never be old fashioned.
We are committed to our customers.
Experience. The difference.