I have been following Full Gauge’s path for 25 years. The feeling is that the company is always one step ahead. And each time I follow-up on it, this feeling gets stronger. In this article celebrating 40 years of the company, I understood this feeling is a mirror of real facts, which make Full Gauge a huge player in the HVAC-R industry.
Forty years ago two friends dared to dream big. In September 1985, Antonio Gobbi and Flávio Perguer officially registered Full Gauge Controls. The first headquarters was a small 14 sq meters garage, in the Niterói neighborhood in Canoas (RS). It was a modest space, but full of purpose: to develop electronic controllers that would replace mechanic devices, imported and expensive that dominated the refrigeration and heating market.
The history, however, started way before. In the 70s, Antonio Gobbi and Flávio Perguer met at work. First at Varig, where they specialized in avionics automation, then in Petrobrás, where Gobbi led processes automation. This experience gave him a solid technical foundation, and a spark that would flare up into entrepreneurship. After that job, Gobbi worked with smaller companies. One of them was into the refrigeration business, showing him a whole new world, previously unknown to him. “I was a fish out of the water”, he remembers smiling. The company was Coldex Frigor, which became Blitzer, but before that, it was Rádio Frigor, created to manufacture under license the compressors of the German company. “Back then, the existing controllers were reliable, but expensive and imported. I saw there was a space to develop national solutions,” mentions Gobbi. The discovery pushed him to share with Flávio. The pair started to develop controller prototypes, using long nights, early mornings and weekends to make experiments using dry ice to map sensor curves. Seven months of pure dedication. “It was a strict winter, we spent entire nights working. But the enthusiasm was huge,” he says.
With the first prototype ready, the decision to transform the project into business arose. Gobbi quit his job in January 1986 to work full time in the company, and Flávio joined him full time in 1987. Both worked side by side in Gobbi’s small garage, located in the Niterói neighborhood, in Canoas (RS), alternating between tasks and servicing clients. In three years, they had already smashed their initial goals and purchased the land in Rua Capistano de Abreu, where they were still renters. “Our policy was always to reinvest. The first property I ever bought was the company’s. Only five years later, I bought my house,” reminisces Gobbi.
This decision marked the start of a practice that became tradition: all profits were reinvested in the business’ growth, preparing the company for new challenges. This mindset guaranteed that Full Gauge had the energy to grow sustainably, even in economic crisis.
Flávio Perguer, a steadfast partner, was there in every strategic decision, leading the engineering and production, and helping to bring shape to ideas into products. His decisions were pushing the company forward. “We always dreamed with the next step,” concludes Gobbi.
The 90s brough challenges and opportunities. The economic opening allowed Full Gauge to purchase high quality components straight from the manufacturers but also brought foreign competition. “It was a bucket of cold water. We had to hire engineers, invest in technology, and improve all our products to reach an international level. In the end, which is exactly what took us to a different level altogether,” explains Gobbi.
Another daring step was the decision to not work with commercial retailers from 1993 and on. “We wanted to speak directly with our customers, understand their necessities with no intermediaries. That created a neural connection with the market,” says Gobbi. That decision brought the company closer to its clients and accelerated the development of custom solutions.
In 1992, even going through financial issues, Full Gauge decided to participate in Febrava, the main trade show in the industry. To finance the trip, they sold a phone line and travelled by car to São Paulo. The bet paid off: the first international contacts and the first export order were set there. “That order allowed us to pay off debts and really turn things around in the company with a barbecue for everyone. It was unforgettable,” remembers Gobbi.
This first export order opened up the world’s gates. Full Gauge invested even more in its international presence, participating in trade shows and events in Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Today, over 100 countries receive tech developed in Canoas, and the company is a worldwide reference in automation for refrigeration and climatization. “We have a worldwide presence with our products, in the over 20 trade shows we participate in and through professionals that offer training courses and talks. Our brand image is consolidated 62 countries, including the United States, Canada, China, The United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Turkey, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and South Africa. One of the innovations developed in-house is the possibility to manage facilities with our products, from anywhere in the world, through the Sitrad software, a management software via internet.”
One of the greatest differentiators of Full Gauge is the continuous investment in research and development. In 1997, the company launched Sitrad, a pioneering software for monitoring and managing refrigeration systems. With is, it was not only possible to monitor freezing facilities, but also to adjust parameters remotely, something completely innovative for the time. Currently, an in-house team of 15 developers dedicate themselves exclusively to the development of Sitrad, guaranteeing updated and new functions. “Having an in-house development team gives us independence and response speed. And we don’t charge for Sitrad, because it boosts the sales of our controllers,” details Gobbi.
Full Gauge also invested in marketing and communications in an innovative way for industry standards, creating an internal agency dedicated to the promotion, relations and brand presence. This strategy allowed closer communication with the clients and strengthened the company’s brand in the national and international markets.
Currently, Full Gauge has several digital product lines for industrial, commercial, and residential automation systems, offering solutions for refrigeration, heating, climate control and solar heating with products that comply with international standards, guidelines, and certifications such as UL, CE, NSF, and ISO 9001 and 14001. Our manufacturing line also complies with the RoHS European standard, which eliminates the use of dangerous substances in electronic devices. We have around 185 instrument models, split into over 400 versions, covering commercial, industrial, and residential needs. Over 50% of our production is exported abroad. The company keeps a healthy cashflow, does not have any debts and follows the reinvestment policy that brought success. “We always put the company first. That’s the secret to keeping a sustainable growth,” explains Gobbi.
A recent milestone is the construction of a new manufacturing plant in Atlanta, US. The branch will allow us to attend more efficiently the largest market in the world, with logistics gains and adding value to the brand with the “Made in USA” stamp. “Atlanta was chosen for its infrastructure, closeness to clients, and growth potential. We want to be ever closer to our global clients,” says Gobbi.
Another pillar for Full Gauge’s success is its organizational culture. The company has ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications and invests in continuous improvement. We have almost 320 direct collaborators, all set on innovation and serving our clients well. “There is no pressure, there is commitment. We walk around the company, talk with everyone, hear suggestions. We want to see things happening,” explains Gobbi.
This management style, close and human, allows the company to have a low employee turnover, and a work environment known for its respect and collaboration. For Gobbi, taking care of the people is taking care of the company’s future. “Ideas are important, but people are at the center. Without them, nothing happens.”
For Gobbi, Full Gauge’s 40 years are only the beginning. “We have been infinitely smaller than we are today, but with what’s coming, we can say that we haven’t left the garage. There’s room for improvement, investing in the future and taking care of the people that build that story. The best is yet to come for Full Gauge.”
Full Gauge’s history is an invitation to get inspired. It is the proof that a vision, courage, and team work can transform a small garage into a global company. Clients, collaborators, and partners are an essential part of this journey and all are invited to continue growing together, with trust and enthusiasm, towards the next 40 years of innovations and conquests.
