Grindwell - The early years
Two Parsi gentlemen set up Grindwell Abrasives at Mora, a small fishing village near Mumbai, with technical assistance from two Czechs. They were soon joined by Mr. Noshir Sidhva. This was the first Grinding Wheels factory in India
Grindwell launches its first Brand – Compass. It continues to be a major brand till date. (Note: Carborundum is the generic name for Silicon Carbide).
For many years, GNO’s registered and Head Office was located in the iconic Army & Navy Building in the heritage Fort area of Mumbai
Grindwell Abrasives enters into a technical collaboration with Norton Co., USA
First modernization of the Grinding Wheel plant and start of manufacture of Coated Discs and Super Refractories at Mora
Norton Company becomes a partner and Grindwell Norton Ltd. (GNO) comes into being
GNO pioneers the manufacture of Silicon Carbide (SiC) in India at its new site in Bangalore
R&D Centre set up in Bangalore to support the manufacturing function, in areas like process optimization, improvement in furnacing technologies, etc.
Manufacture of SiC moves to a new site near Tirupati
Second modernization of Mora plant with introduction of new age machinery and the Pullman tunnel kiln
GNO goes Public. Following an Initial Public Offering (IPO), GNO is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. Since then, GNO’s market value has grown at a compounded annual rate of 18.5%
GNO starts manufacture of Fused Alumina grains in the old SiC plant at Bangalore. Later discontinued
GNO forays into marketing of Centralized Lubrication Systems manufactured by Lincoln GmbH
GNO starts manufacturing Centralized Lubrication Systems in Bangalore. In 1993, Lincoln Helios (India) Ltd. is formed as a JV between GNO and Lincoln GmbH
GNO commissions High Performance Refractories (HPR) plant at Bangalore
GNO celebrates a major milestone in its history - its Golden Jubilee - with the theme: ‘LIFE BEGINS AT 50’
A state-of-the-art plant set up at Bangalore to manufacture a full range of Coated Abrasive products
GNO sets up a new Non-woven Abrasives plant and pioneers its production in India
GNO becomes the first majority-owned subsidiary of Saint-Gobain in India. Earlier in 1990, Compagnie de Saint-Gobain had acquired Norton Co., USA, and thus became a stakeholder in GNO
Super Abrasives plant set up for manufacturing Diamond and cBN Grinding Wheels
A state-of-the-art plant set up at Nagpur for manufacturing Thin Wheels and Bonded Abrasive products
GNO acquires the Grinding Wheels business of Orient Abrasives
GNO’s Head Office moves from the heritage Army & Navy Building to a new owned office at the Leela Business Park, Mumbai (near the International Airport)
GNO commissions a new Abrasives plant near Baddi in Himachal Pradesh for manufacture of Thin Wheels and Coated Abrasive products
An ultra-modern Performance Plastics plant set up on GNO’s Bangalore campus
Saint-Gobain Ceramic Materials Bhutan, a majority-owned subsidiary of GNO, commissions a new plant for manufacturing Silicon Carbide near Phuentsholing, Bhutan
GNO launches INDEC, a captive, global IT Development Centre in Mumbai for providing a range of services to the Saint-Gobain Group worldwide
GNO commissions a new High Performance Refractories plant at a new site at Halol in Gujarat
Enters a new business - ADFORS - with a plant at Bangalore for manufacturing mine-grids
Commissions a new, high-tech Non-woven Abrasives plant at Bangalore
GNO commissions a new Bonded Abrasives plant at Nagpur
GNO becomes the No. 1 Abrasives company in India
GNO celebrates its 75th Anniversary - with the theme: SoAlive@75
2018
Comissioning and Expansion of GNO's: