After completing an engineering apprenticeship at his father's Otago Foundry Ltd, William Wilson formed his own engineering business close to the centre of Dunedin, New Zealand when he returned from Canada where he had worked for a few years. This was at the turn of the century and William had gained precision engineering skills while he was overseas. The name over his small shed on the corner of Great 
King and St Andrew Street proclaimed 'Wilson & Wilson Precision Engineers and Cycle Repairers'. The bicycle was a new invention and was beyond the expertise of most local heavy engineers. There was only ever one Wilson owner although an unrelated employee also named Wilson caused much confusion. Printing machinery work and manufacture of some of the first chocolate moulds outside of Europe for Cadburys just down the road were among early jobs.
In the 1930's Wilson succumbed to injuries received in a car accident and the leading hand Percy Moore was eventually prevailed upon to purchase the business from Wilson's family. He continued to operate until 1962 when it was purchased by Doug (D C ) Ross, joined shortly afterwards by Gerald Hoare. The two had previously been employed by the well known Dunedin Engineering company J & A P Scott Ltd.
Doug was Design Engineer and Gerald was Toolroom foreman. They formed the company D C Ross Ltd in 1963.
A shift to new premises further along Great King St at the beginning of 1963 saw an increase in staff numbers to a dozen or so within a couple of years. It was during this period that the present C.E.O. Bob Houliston started his apprenticeship.
In 1970 Doug Ross decided to leave the business so Gerald Hoare and another employee Jim Bennett purchased his share of the business between them. The core of the business was manufacturing sheet metal press tooling for the flourishing home appliance industry in Dunedin. One of the problems with being dedicated to this industry was inconsistency of work as the major companies tended to introduce new products simultaneously - thus resulting in a feast or famine situation for the company. To try to balance the work load it was decided to supplement the work by becoming involved in the automotive industry. A trial order was undertaken to build tooling for Wellington based automotive manufacturer Brugger Industries Ltd who were having trouble getting good tooling delivered on time. This proved successful and eventually Bruggers became the company's largest client. For joint stability, it seemed like a good idea for D C Ross and Bruggers to be more closely related, so in 1975, Bruggers purchased a 50% share in D C Ross Ltd.
1976 saw the first of the fine blanking presses installed into the partially completed new building in Kaikorai Valley Rd where the company is still situated today.
The objective of this press was to produce components for the Datsun 120Y seat recliner mechanisms for Henderson Industries in Melbourne, Australia. The sales of the 120Y did not go as well as anticipated in Australia and the press was under utilised. Hendersons were quick to see the potential of the fine blanking process and soon supplied the extra work to fully utilise the press. Some of this work continues to this day.
Brugger Industries was sold to a company called Wenrich who then became Kenson Industries. Kenson then brought out the remaining interests of Jim Bennett and Gerald Hoare in D C Ross Ltd. Gerald retired in 1988 and Jim Bennett went on to manage D C Ross Ltd until 1990 when he too retired.
Henderson Industries, part of National Consolidated Ltd in Australia then took control over D C Ross Ltd from Kenson Industries.
In 1996 control of the company was switched to National Radiators in Auckland New Zealand, another NCL owned company, for strategic reasons.
In 1998 Austrim Ltd, an Australian registered company, bought out National Consolidated Ltd.
June 2003, New Zealand management buy out of D C Ross from Austrim Nylex, AU. Aoranghi Laboratories, Dunedin have a 50% share holding in DC Ross and provide significant financial backing for the ongoing development and expansion of the company.
June 2004, D C Ross Ltd acquires 50% of a Melbourne heat treatment company D.R.I. Metal Treatment services.
June 2005, D C Ross Ltd acquires remaining 50% of D.R.I Metal treatment services, Melbourne, Australia.
