Accents make the difference

One of the most important topics in our contemporary architecture is the search for accents in the facade that make a building unique. Architects and building owners thus want to add a certain statement to their building or give it a distinctive look.

Realization Bouw-ID at Lochristi-Architect: Lieven Desmet.

ALINEL NV is responding perfectly to this trend. Indeed, since 2014, the company from Drongen (Belgium) has been developing and producing innovative ventilated facade cladding under the name ALINEL. The range now consists of several types and the pioneer now wants to introduce the cladding in other countries as well. Profiel spoke with Managing Director Jan De Paepe about the past, present and future.

ALINEL was created in 2014 as a subsidiary of URSUS (Eeklo), a well-established provider of custom aluminum solutions for a wide variety of construction applications. "When we started looking for ways to differentiate ourselves from other aluminum processing companies in 2013, we decided to develop our own innovative product. Based on concrete information from the market and our own gut feeling, we chose aluminum cladding. This is how ALINEL came into being," Jan De Paepe begins his story. "The last four years have made it clear that we made the right choice then, because aluminum cladding has since become a fixture and the market with a lot of players has become very competitive. Our system has since been copied several times, most recently by one of the larger players, and for us as a small SME that is one of the best compliments."

Lambrecht residence at Wielsbeke - Architect: Bill Cosman.

Unique solution
Verticality is one of the key words in the ALINEL system. Precisely on that basis, the company developed solutions, which today help convince customers to choose ALINEL. But what makes ALINEL so unique? "Our system is the only one that adapts to any building. A patented hook system ensures that any surface can be clad without sawing or profile adjustments on site. This means that facades and surfaces of any width (dimension) can be clad down to the millimeter," says the business manager.

"With the right combination of profiles, the installer can cover any distance from point A to B and all he needs to do is have a screw machine at hand. This results in extremely easy installation as well as unprecedented time savings."

Versatility trumps
Today the ALINEL range includes several types, each with its own look. "All our systems can be mounted seamlessly and in the same plane on both facade and door or gate. This allows the facade cladding to be finished down to the smallest detail. Elements, such as intercoms, sockets or LED lighting, can be integrated without any problems. Transparency is also possible, locally (for windows and doors) or for the entire facade," De Paepe continues. "ALINEL ultimately offers the user a solution with aesthetic added value, but also scores through the well thought-out technology, which lies behind the system."

Villa E at IJburg(NL) - Architect: Marc Architects.

The future
In fact, ALINEL now enjoys greater name recognition in Belgium than URSUS. It now wants to target other countries, including the Netherlands. "Our parent company also develops and manufactures products, which are often used to create accents in facades. Under the name ROUNDAL, for example, several solutions for sash cladding for windows and doors have already been launched. As with us, innovation, aesthetics and simplicity of installation are characteristic," concludes Managing Director Jan De Paepe.

"Nevertheless, the name ALINEL in particular is known to the professional in the construction industry. In Belgium we have grown into a leading player, but we now also want to focus on other countries, for example the Netherlands. Since the beginning of this year, we have employed a commercial representative for the Dutch market. His first task is to build a partner network, which should allow us to meet the increasing demand from that market." 

Text: Johan Debaere   |  Image: Alinel