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History of Inalfa

Founded in 1946, Inalfa first started as a dynamic production and trade company in ironmongery and consumer goods. Through the years Inalfa kept innovating from consumer goods to copier and automotive parts. In the seventies and eighties Inalfa quickly developed into a multinational with a dedication to producing the best roof systems for the automotive industry, and is still doing so at this very moment.

 

Founded originally in the Dutch city of Utrecht by Mr. J.A.M. Burgman, Inalfa was initially a manufacturer of knitting needles, stair-rods and curtain rods from aluminum, which was the logical and cheaper material, compared to copper,  in the after war years in the Netherlands. The name Inalfa comes from this very material and means: Industrie van Aluminium Fabricaten (Industry of Aluminum Fabricates). Due to the Dutch government granting subsidies to companies which relocated to the then economical backwaters of the Netherlands, Inalfa decided to move to Venray, a place we now call home.

 

Slowly but surely experience in the different aspects and applications of aluminum manufacturing increased. In 1974 chance came when Inalfa decided to commit itself to producing roof systems for the passenger vehicles market. Initially, Inalfa produced these sunroofs for Jaguar and Rover but later expanded its business to brands such as Chrysler, Volvo, Fiat and Saab and adding many more over the years.  The era between 1985 and 2002 saw the globalization of Inalfa Roof Systems, which then expanded into the United States, Brazil, South Korea, France, Japan and The United Kingdom. In 2005 Inalfa entered China and introduced global standardization of its products. From 2005 onwards Inalfa also focused on its core business only… roof systems.  In 2011 Inalfa gained new ownership by the Chinese company Beijing Hainachuan Automotive Parts (BHAP), which facilitated more possibilities in the Chinese market. Following that are years of revenue growth and an increasing global footprint. Exiting times are up ahead when we plan to realize our goal of becoming the #1 innovative leader in the industry when it comes to roof systems.

 

What has stood central through all these years are our people. Their individual growth has directly impacted our company as a whole and programs such as people performance management plans to take their growth to the next level. Recently, our headquarters was upgraded with new greenery and a new and improved atrium, offering a more relaxed atmosphere for meetings and visits.

 

We are Inalfa and it’s our spirit that makes the difference!