Driltools has its roots in the United Arab Emirates, starting as Driltools Equipment Trading Est. in 1998. The Company was founded by Rajan Abraham in 1998, following a successful Management career spanning 25 years in the oilfield and water well drilling equipment and services industry in the Middle East.

The aim then was, and still is, to provide a professional supply service to the Oil & Gas Exploration Companies, Oilfield and Water Well Drilling Contractors operating in the harsh and unforgiving environment of the Middle East. Long-standing business relationships with major equipment manufacturers, together with the long exposure of Driltools’ Management to the requirements and demands of the international Oilfield sector, led to Driltools being appointed as the Authorised Distributor and Stockist for a number of high-quality, international brands. In 2001, Driltools was re-Registered as Driltools Equipment Trading L.L.C.

During 2003, Driltools opened an equipment Service and Workshop facility in Dubai, under a Franchise Agreement with the long-established, oilfield equipment manufacturer, Sara Services & Engineers of Dehradun, India. This Unit specialises in the Overhaul, Upgrades, Testing and API Certification of Blow-Out Preventer Accumulator Control Systems.

The continuing solid growth of the Company, with Customers located throughout the wider Middle Eastern, Asian and African Regions, prompted a review of Corporate strategy and led to the formation of Driltools International FZCO in 2004, with the Corporate Head Office and main Warehousing located within the Dubai Airport Free Zone. This additional facility enabled Driltools to better handle both the domestic and the international businesses now centred at the Dubai hub.

In 2005, the large Malaysian, diversified business Group, Wah Seong Corp. Berhad, a Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange quoted company, acquired a 60% equity holding in Driltools, thereby giving a truly global outreach and depth to the business. Wah Seong has major business interests in the international Oil and Gas Services Industry, covering specialised manufacturing, engineering and service companies throughout the World.

The year 2005 saw the full acquisition by Wah Seong and Driltools of a long established Drilling Bit manufacturing business in India from Greaves Cotton Ltd., a 140-year-old, diversified, major engineering and manufacturing Group. This plant, located at Nashik, Western India, was first established in 1975, equipped and operated by Smith Tool Co. of the USA, and is a major manufacturer of Rotary, Tricone Rock Drilling Bits, as used in the mining, construction, water-well and oilfield drilling industries. During that period of Technical Collaboration, and subsequently when fully controlled by Greaves, this plant developed to be the premier drilling bit producer in India. The factory now operates under the name of Drilbits International Private Ltd. Drilbits exports a range of high quality drilling bits to several international markets and customers, while being a very significant supplier to the entire drilling industry in the domestic Indian market.