This compilation is for the present generation of KVO samaj to draw inspiration and take pride from the Simplex Family’s four generation journey. One of the oldest industrialist family of our community as well as of undivided Madhya Pradesh.

Their Founder Shri. Bhanji Monji Shah was amongst the first Industrialist of the community with his first Industrial Venture, “Merau Metal Works” in 1938 in Merau Village, Kutch where he manufactured Kitchen Utensils. He also had the privilege of making Coins Blanks (Dhingla &Dhabu) for the King of Kutch. 1941 during World war II he relocated to Jabalpur as no limit contractor of MES(Miltary Engineering Services). There he laid the foundation stone of the present company “Simplex Engineering & Foundry Works Pvt. Ltd” a unit manufacturing Agricultural Implements, Steel Structure & Castings. It would be interesting to mention here that during those days fabrication of Cots and cradles were engineering items. Umbrella were made with bait and bamboo stick and in B.M.Shah’s leadership Simplex Engineering with lot of R&D developed umbrella stick in Sheet Metal.

In the year 1956, with the decision of Government of India to construct India’s first One Million Ton capacity Public Sector Steel Plant at Bhilai, Simplex moved to Bhilai under the leadership of the Shri. Hiralal Bhanji Shah (Youngest Son of Shri. B.M.Shah) to be closely associated with the building of the Steel Plant at Bhilai in collaboration with Soviet Union. Being associated with Shri. H.B. Shah, I recall his words, he said and I quote “Having four welding sets back in Jabalpur setup, we used to feel we were doing big time work but when I arrived at the Blast furnace Site of Bhilai 100’s of welding lights lit the sky during night shift like Diwali and we realized what project site work means.”