Real innovation takes a village

Who says that you need to be in a big city to have big ideas? Certainly not Venster Techniek, a manufacturer of window and door frame components, based in the small Dutch village of Zelhelm. In fact, Zelhelm, with its name that loosely translates as “a house that is also a home,” feels an especially appropriate birthplace for Venster Techniek’s threshold and sill solutions.

But making a home means creating a place of warmth, safety and functionality and it’s something the company take seriously.

Venster Techniek don’t have a standard solution for the thresholds and sills they manufacture. They describe taking a “yes and…” approach, creating composite-based customisable solutions that integrate seamlessly into their customers’ larger production process.

A green challenge

Venster Techniek first began working with composites to meet real functional demands. To satisfy tightening government regulations, they needed to improve overall thermal efficiency. Up until 2008, they used aluminium for their product line, which, with its high conductivity, made it a thermally inefficient option.

Enter Exel.

Venster Techniek met Exel Composites at a trade fair and discovered composite profiles that looked surprisingly similar to their aluminium products.

Along with composite’s aesthetic appeal, Venster Techniek learned they were moisture resistant, long-lasting and, most importantly, had excellent insulating properties. After trying out a different composite supplier that couldn’t meet their quality standards, Venster Techniek asked Exel to help create solutions they could stand behind.

A custom approach

Venster Techniek had a big idea for moving into the PVC window market, but they needed some help fine-tuning their concept. It was essential to have a reliable partner, that could help turn their concepts into reality.

Exel were brought on board during the R&D process and worked with Venster Techniek to produce a brand-new base composite profile that could meet the needs of a new audience.

The resulting profile’s innovation comes from its unique design flexibility. It provides an ideal foundation for multiple configurations, giving Venster Techniek a competitive advantage when it comes to customizing orders. Simply put, the profile makes it easier to add modular elements and offer a more innovative, tailored product. Exel’s support with cost-effective tooling and extra flexibility with ordering smoothed the entire process, further ensuring the foundations for success.

Venster Techniek’s commitment to innovation is ongoing and their partnership with Exel continues to add value to existing products.

They thought it. We made it.

But what about the future? As usual, Venster Techniek are working hard on big ideas, with a focus on further decreasing their dependence on aluminium – in the time they have worked with Exel, 50% of their product range has become composite based. As Venster Techniek’s owner, Jurgen Rensen puts it:

“The future will be glass fibre…composites opened up new opportunities for us.”

Here’s to more opportunities and even bigger ideas – they’re what turn houses into homes.

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