Bharat Floorings and Tiles (Mumbai) Private Limited (BFT) is one of the many enterprises born of swadeshi fervour. In the early 1900s, flooring was really not something Indians gave much thought to, the emphasis being literally on a ‘roof over one’s head’. Those who could afford decent housing had very few choices where floor tiles were concerned, as most products were mass manufactured. The rich used imported clay tiles from Minton & Co, Britain.
It was, in short, a market ripe for the entry of an ‘Indian’ brand. And the ones to make use of the opportunity were the uncle-nephew duo, Pherozesha Sidhwa and Rustom Sidhwa.
The former, on the advice of his friend Jamshed Mehta, dropped out of law school to do something for the country’s economic advancement. His family had the land needed to set up a factory at Uran, off the Bombay mainland. In those days, it was accessible only by boat; it had neither water nor electricity and there was no telephone connection. But it was the base from which the company — patriotically named ‘Bharat Flooring Tile Company’ — started operations in 1922.
Using a new technology that produced coloured cement, Sidhwa started operations to produce sturdy and long-lasting cement tiles at more affordable rates than Minton & Co’s encaustic tiles. To drive home the point that this was a wholly indigenous, swadeshi product, each tile came stamped with the map of undivided India on its back. The front of the tile was carpet-patterned and the company used a limited range of about 10 colours and different designs to bring out classic patterns.
It is a matter of pride for the company that the tiles used in their very first project are still in existence and have weathered the nine decades since they were laid with grace and elegance.
Picking up pace
The tiles started selling well, with even the British soon preferring them to Minton’s. BFT was soon tiling floors for universities and even Governors’ residences. The business picked up in the 1930s, when new buildings started coming up all over Bombay. The brand claims that leading architects of the period selected their tiles for their projects. The Art Deco movement had Bombay in its grip during this period and BFT’s attractive and colourful tiles were much in demand.
The tile division of the company was shut down in the 1940s when, prior to World War II, the British impounded all cement stock for the war effort. Not one to sit idle, Sidhwa, along with his nephew, set up a grinding wheel company, Grindwell Abrasives, in 1941 (a pioneering venture that later became Grindwell Norton). Other ventures he reportedly branched into include metal printing with Bharat Metal Box Printers and marble floors.
The end of the war saw BFT re-entering the tile market, shifting its operations from Uran to Bombay. By now, the market for Indian tiles was changing and growing, with cheaper, mass-produced ceramic tiles entering the scene and enabling more customers to go in for tiled flooring.
BFT temporarily retired the range that had made it famous — the old, patterned tiles — and launched new products like Terrazzo tiles with stone and marble chips. In 1960, it introduced heavy duty tiles for outdoor and industrial floors — the Stilan non-slip range. It kept abreast with technological developments to stay contemporary.
The year 1999 saw the relaunch of its classic carpet-pattern tiles — the Heritage range — using the old moulds still in its possession and training new craftspersons in the art. More innovations were introduced as the years went by and consumer tastes changed — designer tiles, restoration of in-situ tiles and much later, 3D tiles, typography, Japanese lines etc. In an effort to create unique products, BFT has collaborated with artists and designers and the result has been fascinating, with one-of-a-kind patterns, colour combinations and fusion designs emerging.
BFT also seeks inspiration from different places in India to incorporate varied motifs in its ‘Made in India’ range. Thus, one can see the unlikeliest of images on the latest BFT range of tiles — the Jharokas of Rajasthan, the Bandhani of Gujarat, the Kolam from Tamil Nadu and even the Modak from Maharashtra!
Making a mark everywhere
The product range today comprises tiles for decorative purposes, industrial use and exteriors like pathways and driveways. BFT now offers Heritage tiles; BFT+ range; Terrazzo tiles; Made in India; Virtuoso; Elongated tiles; Unitinta tiles; and wall cladding. Its latest offerings include 3D Wall Claddings, Concrete Furniture and Objects and Micro Topping.
Cement tiles are made in a seven-step process that takes about 25 days. This is definitely more time-consuming than choosing and purchasing off-the-rack ceramic tiles, which is why customers are requested to plan the timing carefully. As each tile is meticulously handcrafted, no two tiles are exactly alike, and some slight imperfections may be visible: but these add to their character, and discerning customers appreciate the differences.
Apart from catering to individual orders, BFT has over the decades laid tiles for important buildings (RBI, Express Towers, Air India, LIC buildings), palaces (Umaid Bhavan Palace), Raj Bhavans and museums (Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum, Salar Jung Museum); for heavy-footfall areas like airports (Santa Cruz Airport), railways (Bombay Central Station), clubs (Royal Bombay Yacht Club, Bombay Gymkhana), religious and educational institutions (Mantralaya, Woodstock School Mussoorie), theatres (Eros, Regal) and hospitals (Breach Candy hospital); for heavy-duty areas like factories, warehouses and shop floors.
Today, BFT’s colour palette has expanded to offer 28 hues, and it is tiling private villas, farmhouses, popular restaurants and canteens whose owners long for the ‘old-world’ charm.
The icing on the cake is what it claims is its USP — ‘customised designer floors and competent execution at site’. The ‘FloorIT’ app on its website allows customers to play with colours, designs and patterns (aided by a design planner) to bring to life the tile one ‘envisions’ as perfect for one’s needs. Once selected, these tiles are made to order. To get an immaculate floor, the installation, maintenance and cleaning are as important as the quality of the tiles; hence the company has sister concerns which undertake these tasks.
The company’s advertising is muted but it makes its presence felt at all major exhibitions and art festivals such as the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, India Design yearly events, and Goa Interiors and Exteriors. It also organises competitions like ‘Get floored’ to brainstorm for new ideas among youth.
CSR activities
This family-owned company contributes its mite to the environment by creating green tiles (eco-stone) that are made of recycled materials and has even installed a pet bottle crusher at Elephanta Caves to reduce garbage.
In the process of enchanting India with its scintillating tiles, this ISO 9001:2015 certified company has won several awards — the 2005 UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Award; the EDIDA 2013-14 and 2014-15 Award; the UNESCO Cultural Heritage Conservation Award for 2013 and 2014; and the DNA Building and Construction Products Leadership Awards 2018.