History
Technology and the sciences of fluid isolation and control are highly intertwined. They are at the crossroads of many engineering disciplines requiring a very broad manufacturing base. Having built up this foundation with a view to excel in the valve field, Fouress Group has acquired the potential to venture into the other areas of fluid engineering—Metering and Measurement, Fluid Power (Hydro-power) Generation, and lately Marine Propulsion. Fouress Group today is engaged in the design and manufacture of equipment and machineries in this diverse spectrum of fluid engineering.
Forward-thinking from the very beginning
BFL is a part of the Fouress Group, founded in 1962 by Mr. Sadanand Shetty and Mrs. Soumyalata Shetty. From its humble beginnings as a small trading company and home business, BFL’s culture has been one of hard work, rock-solid ethics and a commitment to building enduring relationships.
Mr. Shetty’s story, alone, is inspirational. After losing his father at a young age, he moved to Mumbai, dreaming of success. Mr. Shetty earned a law degree from Bombay University and an MBA degree in the US, and embarked on a career with a large multinational company. But Mr. Shetty’s desire to be an entrepreneur gave him the courage to leave corporate comfort and security and, with his wife, establish Fouress.
From trading, the company graduated to manufacturing valves, and by the early 1970s, Fouress was a well-established manufacturing business.
A major relationship—sealed with a handshake
The next leap forward happened in 1972. Fouress executed the challenging task of manufacturing 72 valves for Mumbai's water supply system, collaborating with Boving & Co. in the UK. With just a handshake, the two companies agreed to form a strategic partnership. This relationship catalyzed Fouress' growth, and led to the diversification of our manufacturing capabilities.
Fouress' relationship with Boving led to a formal joint venture in 1986. The terms of this equity partnership included the transfer of technology used to design, manufacture and install small hydropower plants. By 1989, BFL established a manufacturing facility in Hoskote, near Bangalore.
Over the next few years, more ownership changes occurred. Boving & Co. U.K. changed hands several times, first through acquisition by the Norwegian conglomerate Kvaerner, and then the purchase of Kvaerner Boving by General Electric (GE). At every step, BFL gained invaluable access to new intellectual and technologic capital, using this knowledge to exponentially enhance its in-house capabilities.
Our revenues accelerate
BFL's dedication to serving customers and making the most of the partnerships paid off. The company sold more turbines between1997 and 2002 than it did in the previous 11 years. With a focus on small hydroelectric plants up to 25 megawatts per turbine, BFL quickly became one the largest companies in this worldwide industry.
In 2008, our parent company, the Fouress Group, bought out GE's stake in BFL, making it a fully owned subsidiary of the Fouress Group.
We subsequently changed our company's name from Boving Fouress Limited to B Fouress Private Limited., or simply BFL .
Today, we are more committed than ever to make BFL the largest small hydroelectric solution provider in the world—with the happiest customers.