History

1959 Discovery of the largest Dutch gas field (Slochteren, NL)
1963 Several Dutch boiler manufacturers start to develop new and more                  efficient combi-boiler technology
1966 Furigas was founded (Assen, NL)
1989 Production of the first premix gas burners used in condensing boilers
1999 Bekaert develops the innovative metal fiber Bekinit® used as flexible               surface combustion material
2000 Bekaert Group acquires Furigas
2004 Bekaert Group acquires Aluheat
2010 Centralization of heat cell production (Assen, NL)
2011 Opening of our Chinese Bekaert Combustion Technology plant
2015 Opening of our Chinese heat exchanger production line 
2018 Opening of our new Chinese plant & sales office
2018 Opening of our new Romanian production facility

In 1959, a large gas field was discovered in Slochteren, a village in the province of Groningen, NL by Dutch oil company Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij BV (NAM). The discovery of natural gas was the start of a revolution in the European heating market. The percentage of centrally heated homes using a combi boiler rose significantly during the sixties, with almost all new houses were equipped with central heating by the seventies.

The Slochteren gas discovery led to the decision to provide each home with a gas connection. The effect of the gas discovery was not confined to the Dutch national border. Millions of Europeans have warmed their homes and buildings with gas from Groningen since the last quarter of the 20th century. Because of this, heating systems changed dramatically and new and more efficient combi boiler technology called Verbeterd Rendement (VR) and Hoog Rendement (HR) came into the market. The Netherlands became the leading nation in developing high efficiency central heating boilers.

Since its foundation in 1966, Furigas has pioneered the development of premix gas burners for central heating combi boilers. What is now Bekaert Heating was initially started in a small family home quickly developed and became a leading OEM supplier of premix burners to major combi boiler brands in the Netherlands, Germany, UK and Italy. Since the 90's, Furigas has developed premix burners not only for residential combi boilers, but also commercial condensing boilers and water heaters. With its strong focus on innovation and R&D, Furigas has set the benchmark in residential and commercial premix burners worldwide.

Furigas develops the first premix burners. This revolutionary burner is fueled with a pre-mixed controlled mixture of gas and air resulting in significantly improved combustion behavior. The special grade steel allows high deck temperatures without compromising reliability and lifetime, CO and NOx emmissions are substantially reduced compared with conventional atmospheric burner systems.

Bekaert develops a new flexible and high temperature resistant metal fiber cloth called Bekinit® for use in its high performance premix gas burners. Using a specially knitted production process, the Bekinit® fiber cloth marks a new era in flexible fiber deck designs with superior combustion and mechanical characteristics. Bekinit® fiber burners also allow extreme modulations through the capacity range (up to 1:40.)

Belgian Bekaert Group (Euronext Brussel :BEKB) acquires Furigas. The position of the company was further strengthened and professionalized combined with continuous investments in innovation and R&D, Bekaert Heating develops into a leading independent global OEM supplier of high quality premix burners and heat exchangers. 

Bekaert acquires Dutch Aluminum heat exchanger supplier Aluheat. In the 80's, the first aluminum condensing boilers came onto the market in the Netherlands. It meant major savings in weight and household appliances. They could now be mounted on a wall instead of the floor. The development of a combined burner and heat exchanger was a logical step for Bekaert. Therefore, Aluheat was acquired, the world’s only independent manufacturer of aluminum heat exchangers. 

Bekaert centralizes the heat exchanger production from Belfeld(NL) to Assen(NL). Since then, we have a production area with the newest facilities where heat exchangers or even complete heat cells are being made together with the gas burner production. 

The time had come to establish a sales and manufacturing organization in Jiangyin, China. To ensure the best support, it was also coupled with a professional R&D (test) facility and production assembly lines. Providing our customers with local customer support and onsite development ensures we can offer our Asian customer the best experience. We enable the customization of products, guarantee shorter lead-times and ensure the highest quality offering. 

We officially opened our commercial heat exchanger production line in China. Based on the increasing local demand and the need of European customers to have a heating partner in China, the decision was made to set up a production and assembly line for our larger heat exchangers. 

Bekaert has opened a Romanian burner production facility in Ploiești to increase its production capacity for the European market.

In order to meet the growing Asian demand, Bekaert moved its Chinese sales office and production facilities to a brand new factory in Taicang(Suzhou). Both burners and heat exchangers are localy produced here for the Asian Market.