OUR FOUNDERS
Mr Romeo Barberopoulos came to Nigeria from Greece, in 1957, working for the Leventis Group. He had done studies in Accounting. In 1967 he was the 1st to set up a plastic injection molding shoe company called Industrial Applications Ltd. In 1969, Romeo and his brother John Barberopoulos set up Nigerian Foundries Ltd as a small grey iron foundry. John had done engineering studies and had worked in a foundry in the then country of Czechkoslovakia. Together they built, in Nigeria the first cupola oven. Their inspiration came from the fact that Nigeria was a very young country and they knew that no country could succeed and prosper without a viable foundry industry to support all manufacturing activities. Romeo, who became a Nigerian in the early seventies, passed on in 2012. At the age of 80. He was awarded by President Obasanjo the National Award of Member of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for his work in Conservation of Nature, Export Promotion Drive and the Pastoral Resolve. John Barberopoulos passed on in 2016 at the age of 77 and had been a staunch proponent of the Foundry Association of Nigeria. The Company has moved seamlessly into the second generation, namely Vassily Oye barberopoulos (son of Romeo) and Nicholas Barberopoulos (son of John). Both Vassily and Nicholas have worked in the family business for forty and seventeen years respectively.