Hermann Nolte founds the workshop
As a carpenter in Sundern-Hagen, Sauerland, Nolte hand crafts chairs, cabinets, windows, and doors for the local village.
Five generations of German craftsmanship.
About Sorpetaler
Sorpetaler is a family-owned window and door manufacturer based in Sundern-Hagen, in Germany's Sauerland region. What started as a country carpentry workshop in 1880 has grown into one of Germany's leading producers of custom wood and wood-aluminum windows, doors, and sliding systems, still made to measure for every project.
An 85-person team builds every unit in our Sauerland factory to exacting standards. Every product is made-to-measure, and created to your custom design specifications. A network of hundreds of distributors and installation partners brings these products to life in homes across Europe and now, the United States.
Our History
His son-in-law takes the reins
Hermann Nolte hands over the carpentry business to his son-in-law Eduard Appelhans, who remains true to the classic carpentry trade.
The workshop specializes in windows and doors
Eduard's enterprising son Hubert Appelhans significantly expands the radius of the carpenter's workshop, then makes the strategic decision to specialize in windows and doors, paving the way for the transition to Sorpetaler Fensterbau.
I grew up with warm, living wood. My great-grandfather gave me the love for it. My father spent more than 60 years mastering one of the most demanding things you can build from it: windows.
Eduard Appelhans, Managing Director
A new production hall
Sorpetaler Fensterbau opens a new, large production hall on a greenfield site, where production still takes place today.
The family steps up to respond to an economic downturn
A recent factory investment meets a broader economic recession. The whole Appelhans family, led by Eduard at 24, restructures the business together: the foundation for everything that follows.
Eduard Appelhans takes the helm
Fourth generation, same family, same standard. The company thrives: major improvements and updates touch every area of the business, including the product range, production, and sales processes.
A new production home
Sorpetaler moves into a three-story timber-frame office building, unique in the region at the time, still in use today.
Precision enters the shop floor
A new CNC production line brings exact engineering to every window, including the continually refined Sorpetaler sliding window.
Stefan Appelhans steps up
Fifth generation, running the company alongside his father Eduard.
Sorpetaler strengthens U.S. presence with new subsidiary
The establishment of Sorpetaler USA deepens our commitment to the U.S. market, building on more than 144 years of German woodcraft and our experience serving high-end residential projects across the country.
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