VELUX
Danish brand of roof windows, skylights, sun tunnels and related daylight, ventilation and shading products.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
VELUX is a Danish building-products brand specializing in roof windows, skylights, sun tunnels, roof balconies, shading systems and related accessories. It was founded in 1941 by civil engineer Villum Kann Rasmussen, whose original business developed solutions for bringing natural light and ventilation into roof spaces. The name VELUX combines “VE,” associated with ventilation, and “lux,” the Latin word for light. The trademark was registered in Denmark in 1942. The company’s first important application came during the Second World War, when attics at Slagelse Vestre school in Zealand were converted into classrooms. Danish education authorities required the rooms to have daylight and ventilation, prompting Kann Rasmussen to develop a roof window with a wooden frame and external zinc cladding. The design was made in standardized sizes intended to fit ordinary Danish rafter spacing. Subsequent innovations included a pivoting hinge and tilting sash that allowed users to clean the outer pane from inside the room. VELUX expanded from Denmark through licensing arrangements, subsidiaries and manufacturing partnerships. It entered Sweden in the 1940s, established a German sales and production relationship with ALDRA in the 1950s, and opened or developed operations in the United Kingdom, France, Austria, the United States, Japan, Eastern Europe and other regions over the following decades. By 1970, the wider international business employed about 1,000 people in 13 countries. The product range broadened from a core roof-window design to include top-hung windows, electric and solar-powered operation, roller shutters, blinds, sun tunnels and products for flat roofs. The brand is part of VKR Holding A/S rather than a publicly traded company. VKR Holding is wholly owned by the VILLUM Foundation and members of the Kann-Rasmussen family. The VELUX Group operates production sites and sales companies across multiple regions, serving residential construction, renovation and commercial building markets. Its commercial activities include modular skylights, smoke and heat-exhaust ventilation systems and broader daylight solutions. VELUX presents its business through the Model Company Objective formulated by Villum Kann Rasmussen in 1965. The objective emphasizes solutions useful to society, responsible treatment of stakeholders and profitability sufficient to support growth and independence. In modern corporate strategy, this has been connected with healthier indoor environments, natural daylight, fresh air, energy performance and responsible resource use. The company has also participated in the Active House Alliance and developed demonstration-building projects examining how daylight, ventilation, energy efficiency and occupant well-being can work together. In the 21st century, VELUX entered adjacent categories through VELUX Modular Skylights, commercial acquisitions, smart-home controls and sustainability programs. VELUX ACTIVE, introduced in 2018, connected compatible roof windows, blinds and sensors through an integrated system. The company’s 2020 sustainability strategy addressed climate and nature action, product innovation and responsible business practices. Its Living Places project, presented through carbon-neutral demonstration buildings in Copenhagen in 2023, explored lower-carbon housing concepts aligned with European climate objectives.
History
VELUX began in Denmark in 1941, when civil engineer Villum Kann Rasmussen established V. Kann Rasmussen & Co. to work with glass roofs. A commission for roof windows at Slagelse Vestre school in 1942 led to the development of a standardized roof window designed to provide both daylight and ventilation in converted attic classrooms. The product used a wooden frame with protective external zinc cladding. Although the design was initially called Standard, the first invoice used the name VELUX, formed from ventilation and lux. The trademark was registered in Denmark on October 3, 1942. Early development focused on making roof windows practical for daily use. A pivot hinge and tilting sash introduced in 1945 enabled cleaning from inside, and related patents followed in 1948 and 1949. Production initially involved Copenhagen subcontractors. In 1946, Kann Rasmussen established manufacturing at Østbirk, and the facility later became A/S Østbirk Bygningsindustri. Industrialization during the 1950s supported larger-scale production. Internationalization proceeded through partnerships, licenses and subsidiaries. The Swedish market was entered in the 1940s through a local Icopal relationship, with products marketed under the SVITA name. In 1952, cooperation with German company ALDRA led to a Hamburg sales company and licensed German production. The German business helped finance further expansion. VELUX established a United Kingdom subsidiary in 1954 and operations in France and Austria in 1964. By 1970, the group employed approximately 1,000 people in 13 countries. Product innovation continued during this expansion. A hinge system for steep French-mansard roofs led to the GGL window, introduced in 1968. It included a top-operated control bar, ventilation flap, friction mechanism and internally produced double glazing. The model performed strongly after its introduction in Germany in 1969. VELUX entered the United States in 1975, added a production facility in Greenwood, South Carolina in 1978–1979, and expanded to Japan in 1981 and Eastern Europe from 1986. During the 1990s, its presence extended into Central and Eastern Europe, South America, Asia and Australia. The company’s governance and ownership developed alongside its international growth. Kann Rasmussen formulated the Model Company Objective in 1965, later amended in 1973 to emphasize that a model company must earn profits to fund growth and maintain independence. The Villum Foundation, initially known as the VELUX Foundation, became the principal shareholder in 1971. Additional foundations and employee-ownership structures were created in subsequent decades. Lars Kann-Rasmussen, Villum’s eldest son, assumed a leading role in 1992 after a career in the French, German and Danish businesses. Villum Kann Rasmussen died in 1993. During the 1990s and 2000s, VELUX emphasized environmental management, indoor climate and a broader vision for living under sloped roofs. The Our Shared Vision strategy was introduced in 1997. In 2001, VELUX A/S became the parent company for VELUX activities, while VKR Holding remained the parent of the wider group. In 2002, VELUX acquired the operations of its long-standing German partner ALDRA. The brand also used animated Toys television commercials to communicate the benefits of daylight and fresh air, and in 2005 adopted a corporate vision centered on better living environments through daylight and fresh air through the roof. The Model Home 2020 project began in 2009 and involved six experimental homes in five European countries. It examined climate-conscious construction together with liveability. VELUX entered the commercial, non-residential market with VELUX Modular Skylights in 2012. Acquisitions in 2018 of Wasco Products, JET-Group and Vitral expanded the group’s commercial portfolio, and VELUX Commercial was formed in 2019. Smart-home products arrived with VELUX ACTIVE in 2018. The modern group combines roof-window manufacturing with skylights, shading, sun tunnels, automation, installation components and commercial daylight and smoke-ventilation systems. Its 2020 sustainability strategy established a ten-year framework for climate, nature, sustainable innovation and responsible operations. In 2023, Copenhagen demonstration buildings connected with the Living Places concept illustrated the company’s interest in lower-carbon housing. In September 2024, a generational ownership transition in VKR Group brought Lars Kann-Rasmussen’s sons Jens and Mads Kann-Rasmussen into the A-shareholder structure alongside the VILLUM Foundation.
- 2024
Generational ownership transition completed
[1]The VKR ownership structure included the VILLUM Foundation and new A-shareholders Jens and Mads Kann-Rasmussen.
- 2023
Living Places buildings presented
[1]Seven Copenhagen demonstration structures, including two habitable houses and five test pavilions, were inaugurated.
- 2020
Sustainability strategy launched
[1]VELUX announced a ten-year sustainability program addressing climate, nature, products and responsible business.
- 2019
VELUX Commercial formed
[1]A dedicated commercial business was created after acquisitions in the daylight and ventilation sector.
- 2018
VELUX ACTIVE introduced
[1]The brand launched an integrated smart-home control system for compatible products.
- 2012
VELUX Modular Skylights introduced
[1]The group entered the commercial daylight and non-residential market with a modular skylight system.
- 2009
Model Home 2020 began
[1]The demonstration-home program explored climate-conscious buildings and liveability.
- 2005
Sun Tunnels launched
[1]VELUX introduced tubular daylighting products for spaces where conventional roof windows are difficult to install.
- 1997
Our Shared Vision strategy introduced
[1]The strategy focused on improving living conditions under sloped roofs.
- 1975
United States market entered
[1]VELUX established a U.S. sales company and later added production in South Carolina.
Products and positioning
Premium daylight, ventilation and indoor-environment solutions for residential, renovation and commercial buildings.
Roof windows · 1941
VELUX roof windows
The core product family includes centre-pivot, top-hung, roof-access and combined-frame windows for pitched roofs. Models may use double or triple glazing and can be manually operated or equipped with electric or solar-powered controls. Compatible products can connect with VELUX intelligent-home systems and may include rain-sensing functions.
Skylights
VELUX flat-roof windows
Flat-roof products are designed for roof pitches from approximately 0 to 15 degrees and include curved-glass, flat-glass and dome configurations. Options include fixed, manually vented, electric and solar-powered units, with blinds available as accessories.
Commercial skylights · 2012
VELUX Modular Skylights
Introduced for commercial and non-residential buildings, the modular skylight range is intended to create larger daylight openings and can be used in coordinated roof configurations. It marked VELUX’s expansion beyond its traditional residential roof-window business.
Daylighting · 2005
VELUX Sun Tunnels
Sun tunnels use a reflective tube to carry daylight from the roof into interior spaces where a conventional roof window or skylight may not be practical. They extend the brand’s daylighting offer to smaller or enclosed rooms.
Shading and screening
VELUX blinds, shutters and mosquito nets
The range includes roller, pleated, Venetian, blackout and combination blinds, together with external roller shutters, soft shutters, awnings and insect screens. Products are designed to regulate light, glare, solar heat and privacy, with many models available in manual, electric or solar-powered versions.
Smart home · 2018
VELUX ACTIVE
VELUX ACTIVE is an integrated control system for compatible roof windows, blinds and related products. It was created to support automated indoor-climate management and remote or sensor-based operation in connected homes.
Roof access and outdoor living
VELUX roof balcony and terrace systems
These systems combine top-hung roof windows with lower window or door elements. Depending on the configuration, the product can create a balcony-like opening, provide roof access or connect with additional modules for a wider view and more fresh air.
Marketing campaigns
- 2023Living Places
Denmark
The Living Places concept was presented through two habitable houses and five test pavilions in Copenhagen, designed around lower-carbon construction and healthy living environments.
Outcome. Demonstrated VELUX’s sustainability and housing-concept agenda.
- 2009Model Home 2020
Europe
VELUX built six experimental homes in five European countries to explore climate-conscious construction, energy performance, daylight, ventilation and occupant liveability.
Outcome. Created a demonstration platform for the company’s building-performance and indoor-environment ideas.
- 2000Toys television commercials
International
VELUX used animated television advertisements known as Toys to communicate the emotional and practical benefits of daylight and fresh air in roof spaces.
Outcome. Supported the brand’s broader daylight-and-ventilation positioning.
Brand decisions
2020
Ten-year sustainability strategyStrategyBackground
Climate change, biodiversity and responsible resource use became more prominent in the company’s long-term agenda.
Action taken
VELUX introduced a ten-year strategy covering climate and nature action, sustainable product innovation and responsible business practices.
Aftermath
The strategy shaped subsequent demonstration projects and corporate sustainability communications.
2018
Commercial acquisitionsM&ABackground
VELUX aimed to build a broader commercial daylight and ventilation business.
Action taken
The group acquired Wasco Products, JET-Group and Vitral.
Aftermath
The acquisitions broadened the group’s commercial portfolio and preceded the establishment of VELUX Commercial in 2019.
2012
Launch of VELUX Modular SkylightsProduct launchBackground
The group sought to extend its daylight expertise into commercial and non-residential construction.
Action taken
VELUX introduced a modular skylight range for commercial applications.
Aftermath
The launch formed the basis for later expansion of VELUX’s commercial division.
2002
Acquisition of ALDRA operationsM&ABackground
VELUX had maintained a long-standing German production and sales relationship with ALDRA.
Action taken
VELUX acquired ALDRA’s operations, consolidating the German business within the group.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened VELUX’s control of its German production and sales activities.
1965
Adoption of the Model Company ObjectiveStrategyBackground
Villum Kann Rasmussen sought to establish principles that could guide the company as it expanded and prepared for succession.
Action taken
VELUX adopted an objective centered on useful products, responsible treatment of stakeholders and exemplary cooperation; a profitability requirement was added in 1973.
Aftermath
The objective became a continuing reference point for the group’s governance, independence and sustainability orientation.
Recent events
- 2024
VKR ownership transition reaches a new stage[1]
Leadership change
Ownership of VKR Group was described as being shared between the VILLUM Foundation and new A-shareholders Jens and Mads Kann-Rasmussen.
- 2023
Living Places demonstration buildings inaugurated in Copenhagen[1]
Campaign · Other
VELUX presented carbon-neutral demonstration buildings connected with its Living Places housing concept.
- 2020
VELUX launches ten-year sustainability strategy[1]
Other
The group announced a long-term program covering climate and nature action, sustainable products and responsible business practices.
- 2020
VELUX introduces 3-in-1 roof window[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The company launched a roof-window configuration combining three individual sashes in one frame.
- 2019
VELUX Commercial established[1]
Other
VELUX created the VELUX Commercial business following its expansion in commercial daylight and ventilation products.
- 2018
VELUX enters the smart-home market with VELUX ACTIVE[1]
Product launch
VELUX introduced an integrated smart-home system intended to automate compatible roof windows and indoor-climate functions.
- 2018
VELUX expands commercial daylight business through acquisitions[1]
M&A
The group acquired Wasco Products, JET-Group and Vitral to broaden its commercial skylight, daylight, ventilation and smoke-exhaust activities.
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