Our Company
Hunter Douglas is the world market leader in window coverings and a major manufacturer of architectural products.
Our strength is our ability to develop innovative, high quality, proprietary products that can be found in millions of homes and commercial buildings around the globe.
Ever since we created the aluminum blind in 1946, Hunter Douglas has defined our industry with products that deliver revolutionary style and functionality.
What’s more, our expertise in customization helps keep our customers around the world at the forefront of design in the home and office.
Our history in short
More than 60 years ago, Henry Sonnenberg and Joe Hunter pioneered a unique, continuous casting and integrated manufacturing process to produce light weighted aluminium strips.
With the introduction of the aluminium Venetian Blind Hunter Douglas quickly gained market leadership in the United States, and expanded its business into Europe, Australia and Latin America only 20 years later.
In 1969 Hunter Douglas went public, and two years later its headquarters moved to Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Hunter Douglas expanded its growth into Asia in 1980, and nowadays Hunter Douglas products can be found all over the globe.
Ever since our founding we have continued our history of innovating new and proprietary window coverings that add distinctive beauty and style while also providing solutions to everyday practical needs such as: insulation, daylighting, child safety and sound absorption.
Quality and Innovation
Legacy
Innovation has been at the very core of our business for ever 60 years. Our legacy includes the creation of entirely new and award-winning categories of window coverings including:
- The first ever aluminium Venetian Blinds, Duette® Shades and Silhouette® Shades.
- The world’s most innovative hardware and lifting systems such as our superior EOS® hardware and LiteRise® and SmartCord® operating systems.
- Our products are among the industry’s most energy-efficient window blinds. Our Duette® Shades reduce heat loss through the window by up to 60%.
Research & Development
We firmly believe in continuous improvement and constantly finding ways to benefit our customers, dealers and employees.
We are continually seeking out, testing and developing new ideas and concepts that will enable Hunter Douglas to serve and grow markets. At our specialized R&D centers in the United States, The Netherlands, Germany and Asia our engineers and designers are working together developing and testing new products.
Our top priorities are the comfort and safety of the end users, and the design, functionality, reliability and durability of our products.
Sustainability
Energy Efficiency
At Hunter Douglas, we are an industry leader in energy efficiency and indoor comfort. In 1985, we invented the highly energy-efficient Duette® Shades in response to the energy crisis of the late 1970s.
More recently, we’ve introduced Duette® Architella® Shades which can save up to 37% on heating energy thanks to their cell-within-a-cell construction.
We offer coatings and special fabric treatments that maximize the solar heat control and energy efficient qualities of many of our products and fabrics.
Production
For more than 60 years we have been recycling and using recycled materials. Nowadays, many Hunter Douglas systems feature up to 98% recycled components in steel, aluminum, textiles and HDPE plastics.
At all of our manufacturing facilities we try each day to divert more and more materials away from the landfill. We are focused on creating sustainable manufacturing processes, and recycling and reusing scrap materials.
We also focus on process re-engineering to enable us to serve our customers more quickly and efficiently while reducing our environmental impact.
Cradle to Cradle
The Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Products Program is becoming a globally recognized “gold standard” science-based quality certification. It acknowledges continuous improvement and innovation of products and processes towards the goal of being not just “less bad” but also “more good” for people and the planet. Hunter Douglas has committed itself to participate in this certification program.
Materials
At Hunter Douglas we are committed to providing you with the highest quality materials for optimal performance. As a result we offer many products which have been certified by independent organizations for their outstanding sustainable properties.
These certifications include:
- Oeko-Tex® Standard 100
- GreenGuard®
- FSC®
- Silver Cradle-to-Cradle Certified® label
- The Rainforest Alliance
Moreover, we offer a wide selection of window coverings which may contribute to LEED and BREEAM certification.
Child Safety
As children grow so does their curiosity with the world around them. Basic household items, including window coverings, can turn into potential hazards.
At Hunter Douglas we consider child safety a top priority and making products safer for homes with infants and young children is an integral part of our design philosophy. We have developed a wide range of products that can reduce the risk of accidents and enhance user comfort. For more information please download the child safety brochures in the downloads section below.
LiteRise®
Simply pull or push the bottom bar to operate the blinds. Available with: Venetian Blinds, Duette® and Plissé Shades.
SoftRaise
Our cordless SoftRaise operation for Roller Blinds offers a subtle ‘soft-raise’ relay mechanism.
Motorisation
For most product line we offer wired and battery-powered operation for ultimate comfort.
Wand & Crank
An easy-to-use wand or crank with integrated open, close and tilt functions is available for most of our product lines.
UltraLift™
UltraLift™ for Silhouette® Shades features a unique child friendly retractable pull cord.
SmartCord®
Our SmartCord® is a revolutionary and patented cord lifting system for Duette® Shades.
Downloads
