Kolbe

Kolbe, also known historically as Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork and now presented as Kolbe Windows & Doors, is a windows and doors brand with roots in Marathon, Wisconsin. Its official history says brothers Herb and Ervin Kolbe began by repairing window frames and building sash in a wash house on their family dairy farm. In 1946 they purchased a building in Wausau, Wisconsin, and moved the business there. The brand offers made-to-order windows and doors for residential and commercial projects. Its residential offering emphasizes customizable designs, energy-efficient performance, varied styles, materials, configurations, finishes, colors, and hardware. For commercial projects, Kolbe describes systems designed for large-scale work, with energy efficiency, performance options, and flexibility intended to support modern architecture and code compliance. The company says its sales spread across the United States and Canada. Kolbe’s product lines include VistaLuxe AL LINE, VistaLuxe WD LINE, Ultra Series, Heritage Series, and Forgent Series. Its product options include exterior colors, interior finishes, wood species, hardware, and divided lites. The official site emphasizes craftsmanship and made-to-order production. Ownership, current headquarters, and current executives are not established by the supplied evidence.

Kolbe traces its beginnings to Herb and Ervin Kolbe, who started by repairing window frames and building sash in their mother's wash house on the family dairy farm near Marathon, Wisconsin. The company history identifies 1946 as a key early turning point: the brothers purchased a 2,100-square-foot building in Wausau, Wisconsin, moved the business there, and hired their brother Walter as their first employee. The business expanded into prehung doors in 1948. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, it acquired a cabinet shop and introduced its first product line, including wood double-hung, sliding, casement, and awning windows. Production later expanded to aluminum-clad windows, and the company says sales spread within the United States and Canada. Kolbe established a facility in Manawa, Wisconsin, in 1995 to manufacture vinyl windows and doors. In the early 2000s, its Wausau facility expanded, and after the deaths of Herb and Ervin, Herb's daughter Judy Gorski assumed the role of CEO. The company subsequently rebranded from Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork to Kolbe Windows & Doors. The product offering continued to develop with TerraSpan lift-and-slide doors and folding doors, followed by the VistaLuxe Collection, which the company says was created in response to growing interest in contemporary architectural design. Today, the brand presents residential and commercial window and door solutions, including the VistaLuxe, Ultra, Heritage, and Forgent lines. Its official website describes its products as made to order and highlights customization, energy efficiency, and craftsmanship.

• 2013

  VistaLuxe Collection introduced

• 2009

  TerraSpan and folding doors added

• 2003

  Leadership transition and brand renaming

• 2000

  Wausau facility expansion

• 1995

  Manawa facility established

• 1981

  Production expands to aluminum-clad windows

• 1972

  First product line introduced

• 1948

  Expansion into prehung doors

• 1946

  The business moves to Wausau

A craftsmanship-led, made-to-order windows and doors brand serving customizable residential and commercial projects.

• VistaLuxe AL LINE and VistaLuxe WD LINE

  Product lines listed on the official website.

• Ultra Series, Heritage Series, and Forgent Series

  Window and door product lines listed on the official website.

• TerraSpan lift-and-slide doors and folding doors

  Door offerings identified in the company's history.

1. 1Kolbe | Luxury Windows & Doorskolbewindows.com
2. 2Our Story | Kolbekolbewindows.com