Our History
Our History and the Legacy of Leading to the future
In the late 1800s, the Grant Family of Americas and the Beray Families of the Philippines unite. The beray family were kind of family influencial in politics, education, medicine, agriculture, cooking, and farming. In 1805 the beray family of Leyte engages in small businesses in the province, as new opportunities rises the family set their businesses in Ormoc Leyte, Central Philippines. In 1812 the beray family opened there first business which engaged in farm trading, textile, agriculture, poultry and baking. In 1815 their business grew and in 1816 the Beray De Companya & Co. was created. To export finish goods to Cebu and Manila the family purchase a small steamed vessel named '' M/V Vertores''. Their goods were shipped back and fourth from Leyte to Cebu. In 1820 the family expand and migrated to Cebu and opened new businesses which includes cooking oil producton, tires production, automotive, water bottloing distribution and education. In 1850 the company was changed to Beray Familia & Co., and was the largest in Cebu. As competition stiff, as new emerging competitors rised like the Aboitiz & Co., Ludo Lym Co., VECO and others. The company steered in full swing through innovations, connections and by building confidence and trust the company moved forward. The Grant family were families whose influencial span to politics, business and education. The family orginated in Jamica an island part of the United States. During the American colonial rule in 1896-1946, Alfred George Grant Sr. and some family memebers migrated in Cebu, Philippines. As the Grant family looked for opportuites of investing in a country were it is still in the stages of industrial development. The Grant family meet the Beray Families of Leyte through a convention held by one of the promienant business owner in Cebu. Alfred George Grant Sr. married Coldero L. Hulina Beray and had five children. The Grant family helped expand and finance their continued growing businesses. And in 1930 the grandsons and his eldest name Alfred George Jr. I had position of the Beray businesses and in 1930 the company was renamed to Beray and Grant Family & Co.
The Beray and Grant Family & Co. entered the lumber industry through partnerships. The company finish lumber products are shipped through the companys cargo vessels accross the islands. In 1840 Cebu Lumber Co. was the largest lumber industry in Cebu and the company expanded their operations beyond cebu.
The company also enagages in land transportation. In 1845 Cebu Transport Services Co. is the largest land transportation company in the Urban city area. The company grew and it expanded its tranport businesses beyond shipping, this other businesses includes railroads, buses and airplanes. The company was soon renamed as Cebu Transport Corporation a family closely owned corporation. The company also partnered and had a controlling stake of Philippine Railways Co. In 1950 the company left the railroad business due to the change of time and people and business are looking for faster and new ways to transport their goods and services accross the islands.
Cebu as the center for commerce and trade in Asia, the company increased its vessels and in 1967 the company was the largest shipping operator in the country. The company was renamed as GB Shipping Lines & Co. in 1970 the company ventured to fastcraft, cargo, bulk transport, forwarding and tugging services. In 1994 the company was renamed to Grant Shipping Lines & Co. ( Formerly known as Grantiz& Co.).
