NorDan: More than just windows

Serving as both literal and symbolic gateways between the sanctuary of our homes and the loud world outside, windows and doors play a pivotal role in ensuring our safety and well-being. NorDan stands as a company that has mastered the art of crafting windows and doors to perfection. Who better to safeguard our homes than a company with nearly a century of experience in comprehending and tackling the unique demands of the Norwegian environment?

Sometimes, a window is not just a frame; it’s a view of brighter days. Other times a window is just a window. Anyone who’s lived in loud cities, arctic areas, or places easily susceptible to precipitation, moisture, and thus mould, would argue that a window is not simply “just” a window. While often overlooked in our daily lives, both windows and doors, exert a profound influence on our lives and health.

NorDan showroom.

Norway-based NorDan has developed and perfected windows and doors for almost 100 years, becoming the country’s leading company within development, marketing, production and delivery of windows and doors.

“Since our founding, NorDan has also established itself as one of Europe’s leading businesses within the industry,” says Dag Kroslid, CEO of the NorDan Group.

Today, NorDan’s products are sold in markets across Scandinavia, The United Kingdom, and Ireland, providing about 700,000 windows and doors a year. While they’ve seen significant international expansion in the past decade, Kroslid describes NorDan as a locally rooted company, still deeply connected to its origins in Rogaland, Norway.

“As a family-owned company, we value our roots and history. In fact, our headquarters are still on the very same place it was established in 1926,” he says.

The adventure of a lifetime

The birth of NorDan was a result of an unexpected love story. In 1919, 23-year-old Danish wheel maker, Johannes Rasmussen, left Sjælland for work in Stavanger, where he was to temporarily work while awaiting his visa to the United States. He eventually ended up in Moi, Rogaland, on a construction project, where he met Tøri Tonette Skjeggestad. The two fell in love and settled in Moi, which would be the birthplace of NorDan.

Over the years, Rasmussen’s company expanded slowly. While the window frames would shape the company’s future, they initially struggled to gain traction, but eventually, the tide turned, and by the 1950s, now operating under the name “NorDan,” the company focused on window production, emphasising durable, long-term solutions.

“After this, the company took off. In the 60s, the NorDan Perfect prototype received a patent, and 700 windows were made in the first year. In the 70s, it became the leading provider in the industry, and in the 80s, export was established. Since then, we’ve become an international company with offices and factories across Europe,” says Kroslid.

Where the first 75 or so years was spent on becoming a mainstay in the Norwegian and Swedish construction industry, the past couple of decades have seen a significant international expansion for NorDan. Already well-established in the United Kingdom, Ireland and with large manufacturing facilities in both Lithuania and Poland, the story of the founder came full circle in 2021 when NorDan entered the Danish market. Most recently, they have also expanded their presence to Iceland.

Quality, sustainability and honesty

Kroslid attributes the company’s success to various factors, with quality and design standing out as the foremost contributors.

“We only utilise high-quality suppliers and value nice designs, using wood as a raw material,” he says. “Our products are among the best within isolation and energy efficiency, which is especially important in regard to sustainability.”

He emphasises that sustainability has long been a top priority for the company. This commitment is reflected in a preference for durable, top-quality products that offer excellent insulation, regardless of the environment.

Additionally, Kroslid explains that NorDan upholds a tradition of investing in their own factories to bring the company into the future and consistently strives towards modern solutions that are not only more sustainable in the long term but also enhance production effectiveness and precision, thereby reducing waste and saving energy.

“We’ve invested 100 million (NOK) into our factory in Moi, where solar panels will be responsible for electricity, and artificial intelligence will be responsible for running the storage to ensure precision,” he says, adding: “NorDan is Norway’s biggest window producer and thus also a cornerstone company in Moi. With this investment, we take another step into the future, helping not only the local area and our colleagues, but also the customers in the time to come.”

NorDan museum where production started in 1926.

The investment seeks to make the work environment at the factory safer and simpler by increasing internal flow and letting robots assist their human colleagues.

“Across all aspects, we focus on humans and their needs, whether it’s our customers or internally. Healthy, honest, and good interaction has become a key value that has helped us improve, develop and find better, modern solutions for the contemporary home or building,” Kroslid says.

Ultimately, the CEO underscores, that he takes great pride in being part of such an honest and communicative company, where good ideas and solutions may flourish for the benefit of everyone.

NorDan’s factory in Moi, Rogaland, Norway.

Web: www.nordan.no
Instagram: @nordan_norge
Facebook: NorDan Norge