40 years of growth and innovation

Is it smart entrepreneurship, or is it luck? In any case, over the past 40 years, SOPROFEN has often made the right decisions at the right time. With Fred de Boer, representative for SOPROFEN in the Netherlands, Z&R talked about the milestones that have made the company successful, but of course also about the future.  

A 40th anniversary is not nothing. SOPROFEN is therefore organizing several activities this year to celebrate this anniversary. "We are taking about 100 dealers on a boat trip on the Seine and together with them we are going to celebrate an evening and a night," says De Boer. "In addition, we are organizing a day for our staff and their families. They can then visit different factories. In the second half of the year we will give our Dutch customers the opportunity to do the same." 

In SOPROFEN's history, several milestones have boosted the company's development. "In the beginning, we only made profiles. The decision to start producing slats and shutters ourselves has been decisive for where we are today." However, De Boer sees several other tipping points. "The acquisition by Bouyer Leroux in 2018 has made new investments possible. We also came up with novelties at the right time, such as the Goodnight front roller shutters and the SCREENAMAX screen. Just before covid, we scaled up production capacity for screens and that proved to be a hit. Volume grew by 30% last year." SOPROFEN has also invested heavily in garage door production. With a new, fully automated factory, the company can handle a huge volume and has come up with a wider range of products in two different price categories. 

This year, SOPROFEN is not launching any new products. Instead, the company is busy transitioning its own IT system. "Our current system was once made for one branch and has now reached its limits. We have grown significantly and with this comes a new system." This renewal has many advantages for the customer. "It will soon be possible to see and follow an order live. So it is always clear where the products are in the process." 

Future-oriented: focus on innovation and sustainability

SOPROFEN uses past developments to continue to innovate. For example, the technology behind the success of SCREENAMAX is the basis for future screens. "With the development of a small box, we were able to tap into the need for smaller window profiles at the right time. Our current screens are especially suitable for renovation and surface-mounting, but we are also increasingly focusing on surface-mounting and built-in options for new construction." In this regard, De Boer says the Dutch market is going after its southern neighbors because windows in new construction are increasingly opening inward. 

Of course, aesthetics and functionality are very important when developing new products. However, SOPROFEN recognizes that sustainability is just as important. "This is twofold. The end customer is very sensitive to sustainability as a selling point. But as an industry, we also owe it to ourselves and the world to be concerned with this." In several of SOPROFEN's plants, the water used in production is filtered and reused. The company is also committed to an electric vehicle fleet, solar panels and other sustainable solutions. 

Fred de Boer concludes with a smile. "SOPROFEN is just that little bit different. It's great to serve the Dutch market with products that really make a difference. Our roller shutters are the best in blackout, and SCREENAMAX is unmatched in width. This often surprises our customers, as they usually receive representatives with similar products. However, we always come up with something specific and different."