ift Rosenheim has announced that the institute is celebrating 60 years of activity in the field of research, testing and certification of building components, including windows and façades. Over this time, the organisation has evolved from a small specialised centre into an internationally recognised expert institute.
The Institute for Window Technology was founded on 10 March 1966 on the initiative of a working group of timber window manufacturers. The team consisted of four specialists and operated with a budget of 103,400 German marks. The head of the institute, Erich Seifert, together with engineers Josef Schmid and Hans H. Froelich, laid the foundations for the development of both the institution and the entire sector.
Already in the first years of operation, experts prepared recommendations for tenders for timber windows, defined load classes for resistance to driving rain and established glazing requirements. In 1968, the institute completed its first large-scale research project on damage to timber windows.
Over the decades, ift Rosenheim expanded its areas of activity alongside the development of materials and technologies. The institute developed numerous test methods, created appropriate equipment, and contributed to the development of standards and guidelines. Key topics include air permeability and watertightness, thermal insulation, fire safety and the protection of buildings against extreme weather conditions, burglary or vandalism.
Today, the institute employs around 230 staff. It provides services to manufacturers, designers, service companies and public authorities in Germany, across Europe and beyond through a network of partners. Around 30% of its activities are accounted for by international clients.
A separate area of activity is represented by ift MessTec, which develops and manufactures testing and calibration equipment for laboratories and provides training for specialists.
Since 2004, the institute has been responding more actively to new market requirements related to European standards, CE marking, as well as environmental issues, safety and the durability of building components. In the coming years, the sector is expected to face further changes: manufacturers will need to increase the sustainability of their products, ensure repairability, reuse and recyclability of materials, and adapt to changes in supply chains and the impact of artificial intelligence.
The head of the institute, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Winfried Heusler, noted: “In the context of climate change, digitalisation and the development of artificial intelligence, we are facing epochal changes, for which we will develop appropriate approaches to unlock new opportunities for the sector.”
ift Rosenheim has built a long-standing and quite influential presence in Ukraine through its representative, participation in Ukrainian industry events, translation of technical guidelines, cooperation with research institutions and the modernisation of laboratory infrastructure. In 2013, the organisation signed a memorandum with NIISK. In 2023, the laboratories “BM-Test” and “Kryvbasstandartmetrologiya” received test rigs manufactured by ift MessTec as part of an international project.
In addition, work continues together with the Ukrainian Manufacturers of Transparent Structures (UMTS) on the translation and adaptation of technical guidelines. In particular, in 2025 a manual on the installation of windows and doors for new buildings and renovations was published. Work is currently underway on the publication of a guideline for the installation of RAL façades.
Photo: ift Rosenheim
Reconstruction and extension of the main ift building with an innovative façade incorporating photovoltaic systems in 2010
ift Rosenheim celebrates sixty years of expert services and industry trust
ID no: 24175
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