About the Founder
Travel back in time to Belgium, 1949. With Europe still on its knees from WWII, Albert Vandaele was able to find a silver lining in the form of Alva.
Using discarded materials and equipment from the war, Albert was able to fashion quality aluminum pots and pans, the first products on the Alva line.
Albert's eye for detail was apparent in the first designs of the Alva products, and any pots and pans that did not meet quality standards were immediately melted and recast.
The precedent for detail, product quality, and sustainability Albert set are still in the DNA of company operations today.
1949
In 1949, the first Alva aluminum pots and pans were crafted from recycled WWII materials.
1954
In 1954, Alva was asked to produce 25,000 whistling kettles for a customer. To fulfill this order, Alva had to purchase new manufacturing equipment and expand its production capacity.
1970
Customer demand evolves and new materials gain popularity. Aluminum cookware faces fierce competition from stainless steel cookware. Alva adapts and the first Alva stainless steel products hit the market.
1983
On March 29, 1983, the Alva factory was almost completely destroyed by a devastating fire. The family business lost virtually everything as a result. Offices, machinery, products, warehouses... everything. was lost to the flames.
In less than three months' time, new Alva products were rolling off the production line, showcasing the brand's fortitude and resiliency.
1991
After having produced cookware for 40 years, Allinox was created in the early 1990s, as a commercial entity for Alva. Headquartered in Belgium, the family company Allinox manufactures, stocks, and distributes high-quality cookware around the world.
2022
In 2022, Michel Delmulle, the grandson of Albert Vandaele, takes over the distribution of the brand.
Michel and Sophie Declerck help expand the brand into the US market.