Established in 1889 - Celebrating 133 years at the Panama Canal

William Andrews came to Aspinwall (Cristobal/Colón), Panamá, in employment with English shipping companies trading across the Isthmus into the Pacific via the Panama Railroad. This activity was greatly enhanced during the efforts by Ferdinand De Lesseps, Compagnie Universelle du Canal Interocéanique de Panamá, to excavate the Panama Canal. The collapse of the French effort in 1888 dealt a crushing blow to all business in the area, causing the withdrawal of the liner offices established to carry out maritime trade in the city. Their departure created the opportunity for William Andrews to open an agency of his own to act on behalf of the reduced but continuing steamship calls, in particular, those trading from Liverpool, thus W. Andrews & Co. was born in 1889. Shipments across the Isthmus via the railroad continued in the years between the French and American Canal works. During that period, William Andrews established himself as one of the principal businessmen in the city of Colón, the founder and first President of its Chamber of Commerce. In 1904, Americans began construction of their Canal, and Andrews & Company, S.A.. prospered with the renewal of activity it brought. In 1914, the Canal finally opened to traffic, and W. Andrews & Company, S.A. was in position to lead the way to provide transit services to world shipping. It is likely that W. Andrews & Company, S.A. as it is styled today, is the oldest continuing business in the city of Colón, and perhaps in the country at large.