OKALUX – Innovation in Glass

The OKALUX company owes its existence to its mother firm Heinrich Otto KG, a weaving and textile spinning company from the South of Germany. This company reacted on the initiation of a  global restructuring within the textile producing industry in the 1960s and searched for alternatives.

The responsible engineers and technicians seized the idea of spinning hollow fibres from polyester granules. Between 1962 and 1966,   copious experiments and attempts to produce synthetic fibres with empty spaces were undertaken in Kreuzwertheim with the help of a small pilot plant. The aim of these experiments was to improve the positive properties of artificial fibres, such as the comfort and the breathability of the fabrics.

Much fantasy and creativity came into play during the long search for potential applications. Attempts were made to turn the hollow fibres into artificial turf, to develop a machine to defog airports and to desalinate salt lakes in the desert.

Patience, diligence, experience with the different product ideas and finally the simple factor chance lead to the development of a procedure to process the hollow fibres to a slab. In doing so, the light diffusing and isolating properties of hollow fibres were utilised.

It had been the initial plan to combine the newly invented capillary slabs with two lucid plastic coatings. However, whilst the European insulating glass industry was still in its infacyy at that time, a trend was emerging which favoured double glazing over single glazing. Thus it seemed only logical to incorporate the capillary slab between two glass panes – the entry into the glass industry had been accomplished! OKALUX was born.

OKALUX presented its innovative capillary products for the first time at the first environmental trade fair “Reinhaltung der Luft“ (keeping the air clean) in Düsseldorf in 1966. An overwhelming response was received.

In these early years, OKALUX was known as “Otto Kapillar” (Otto Capillary) and remained a subdivided daughter company of Heinrich Otto KG, Fils Textil GmbH. Otto Kapillar became a legally independent company in 1971 – the trademark name is derived from the capital letters of the divison and the Latin noun for light (Otto Kapillar Lux).

Initially, OKALUX light diffusing isolating glass was mainly used for roof glazing in industrial buildings and gyms. The excellent, evenly diffused and glare free, photorealistic illumination was of extreme importance for OKALUX’ early successes. However, the oil crisis in the 1970s triggered the increased importance of the heat- insulating properties of the capillary panel.

Throughout the years, OKALUX has continuously maintained its diligence and the motivation to innovate, to create new things and to execute all projects successfully from the beginning to the end. Maybe it is these very factors what qualifies OKALUX among architects all around the globe!