In 1919, Henry Sonnenberg founded a company specialising in sales and subsequently machine tools in Düsseldorf, Germany.

In 1933 he moved to the Netherlands and started a company for machine tools.

In 1940 he moved to the USA, where he founded Douglas Machinery Company.

In 1946, Henry Sonnenberg initiated a collaboration with Joe Hunter, who developed new technology and equipment for the continuous casting and  machining of aluminium. This gave rise to the production of lightweight aluminium lamella for blinds. Hunter Douglas, as we now know it, was thus born.

Hunter Douglas aluminium blinds quickly became a leader on the US market. The product was innovative, as was the sales strategy. Hunter Douglas created a network of more than 1,000 independent manufacturers in the USA and Canada. They sold blinds during the day and made them to measure in their workshops in the evening.

In 1956, policy disagreements resulted in the US operations being sold. Henry Sonnenberg moved the Hunter Douglas head office to Montreal, Canada. With the European machining operations as a base, he concentrated on expanding the window products business outside the USA.

Between 1960 and 1980, Hunter Douglas expanded its operations in Europe and also established itself in Latin America and Australia.

In 1969, the Hunter Douglas group was listed on the stock exchanges in Montreal and Amsterdam.

In 1971, the Hunter Douglas group head office moved to Rotterdam, Holland, and Hunter Douglas N.V became the global Group Holding Company.

In 1976 Hunter Douglas reacquired its previous US operations.

In 1978, Hunter Douglas acquired the Swedish blind company Turnils, which was based in Alingsås, shortly before founding Hunter Douglas Scandinavia in Sweden.

In 2013, Hunter Douglas Scandinavia and Turnils AB merged to create a single company, Hunter Douglas Scandinavia AB. We are active in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and the Baltic countries. The company’s head office is located in Alingsås.