History

The Beginning – 1946 
J.A.M Burgman founded Inalfa in the Netherlands in 1946. Inalfa started as a manufacturer of metal goods for wholesale companies, producing knitting needles, stair rods and curtain rails.

The 50′s 
Inalfa began manufacturing domestic heaters in response to an enormous post-war building boom. Inalfa progressed swiftly from coal burners to oil and gas-fired heaters as the market for their stand-alone heaters grew.

The 60′s 
The domestic heater business continued to prosper and Inalfa took its first steps down the path of international business as it established a new branch in Hamont, Belgium.

The 70′s 
Inalfa innovatively and successfully converted its manufacturing capacity to the production of formed metal parts, pressings and assemblies for a variety of customers as the market in stand alone heaters began to collapse. The automotive industry was among the customers served. Inalfa started manufacturing sunroofs for direct delivery to car manufacturers in 1974, deriving its basic technology from the automotive aftermarket (Vermeulen Hollandia). The first contracts were awarded by Rover and Saab.

The 80′s 
Inalfa implemented a new growth strategy to boost output and increase market share as size would prove decisive for survival in the competitive sunroof business. Company goals were extremely ambitious and globalization became a necessity. Inalfa focused on becoming a top player in the international sunroof market and new sunroof plants were founded in Auburn Hills, Mi, USA (1985) and Livorno, Italy (1988).

The 90′s 
By 1993 the globalization strategies began to yield significant worldwide growth. New facilities were set up in Kyunggi-Do, Korea (1994), Les Loges en Josas, France (1995), Tamworth, United Kingdom (1995), Osaka, Japan ((1996) and São Paulo, Brazil (1998)

Inalfa started producing truck hatches in 1994. In1995 the decision was made to separate the business into two operating units: Business unit Roof Systems and Business Units Metals. By 1997 the two separate operating units became separate Inalfa companies.

Also in the 90′s Inalfa purchased “Farmont”, a German aftermarket sunroof company as their entry into the automotive aftermarket. The aftermarket sunroof production continued successfully in the UK for Spoilers and Italy for Pop-up. The European headquarter was then located in Neuss, Germany.

2000 and beyond… 
The new millennium started with the integration of the Aftermarket Sunroofs division of American Sunroof Company (ASC) into the Inalfa Sunroofs USA organization in 2002. The new company called American Sunroofs Inalfa (ASI) was established in Brighton, Michigan (USA) and continued its dominant role in the aftermarket sunroof business today. On January 1st 2005 the company’s name officially changed from American Sunroofs Inalfa to Inalfa Sunroofs.

In 2005 Inalfa Sunroofs also consolidated its European and Asian aftermarket business activities to its new European and global headoffice in Amsterdam. By 2009, the American operations were named “Signature Automotive Products” and by 2012, the Internal global sales Company located in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, changed its name into “International Sunroofs”.

The future of International Sunroofs worldwide looks bright. International Sunroofs – a true leader in the manufacture and sales of automotive aftermarket sunroofs for the America’s as well as fulfilling various high profile customer needs and growth initiatives in Asia and Europe has a clear footprint in the Automotive Aftermarket Sunroof Industry. Remember, when you think of sunroofs think “International Sunroofs” – all products fully designed to truly enhance your driving experience!