Europe · Holding Company
Hydro Building Systems
🇳🇴 Norway · Last reviewed by Justin Orloff
Quick Facts
founded
Hydro established 1905; Technal and WICONA acquired into the group over subsequent decades
hq
Oslo, Norway (Hydro); Toulouse, France (Technal); Ulm, Germany (WICONA)
primaryMaterials
Aluminium profiles (standard and recycled content)
glazingPartner
System supplier - glazing by fabricator or installer specification
marketTier
Premium
Brand at a Glance
- Parent company: Hydro (Norwegian aluminium producer)
- Key brands: Technal (France), WICONA (Germany and commercial Europe)
- Market position: Premium aluminium window, door, and facade systems
- Primary material: Aluminium (standard and low-carbon REDUXA grade)
- Product types: Windows, curtain walling, storefronts, doors, skylights
- Colour options: Powder-coat in standard and custom RAL, anodised aluminium
- Distribution: Pan-European through Technal and WICONA networks
- Glazing: Double, triple, and specialist glazing to specification
- Certification: CE marking, CE marking under the CPR, ETA approvals
- Website: technal.com / wicona.com / hydro.com/building
Product Range
- Technal residential windows and doors (France)
- WICONA commercial windows and facades (Germany)
- Curtain walling systems
- Skylights and roof glazing
Why This System
REDUXA low-carbon aluminium is used in Hydro Building Systems products where sustainability credentials are specified. It cleans identically to standard aluminium - the low-carbon credential is in the production process, not the surface properties. Curtain walling systems at the commercial scale are maintained under a building maintenance contract rather than a standard window cleaning schedule. Access is via rope access, cradle, or cherry picker rather than ladder or reach pole. Technal residential products in France often include integrated sun protection (external venetian blinds, roller shutters) matched to the window frame specification - the same integrated installation considerations apply as on heroal or other combined systems. WICONA commercial systems include thermally broken profiles designed for the most demanding commercial applications. The frame sections are deeper than residential profiles and the thermal break is more substantial. Anodised aluminium finish appears on both Technal and WICONA products at the higher specification level. The anodised surface requires neutral-only chemistry as with any anodised aluminium product.
Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations
Official Care Guidance
Source: ORLOFFS PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE - BASED ON HYDRO BUILDING SYSTEMS / TECHNAL / WICONA PUBLISHED INFORMATION AND 25 YEARS FIELD EXPERIENCE
Glass
- Residential: lukewarm water with mild dish soap, microfibre T-bar, professional squeegee with fresh rubber.
- Commercial curtain wall: specialist access and industrial cleaning equipment as per the building maintenance contract.
- Skylight glass: increased dwell time on mineral and organic deposits. More frequent cleaning schedule than vertical glass.
- No razor blades on any coated or toughened glass without confirming glass specification first.
Frames
- Identify finish first: powder coat or anodised aluminium. Both require pH-neutral chemistry only.
- Powder coat: pH-neutral cleaner on soft cloth, rinse, dry with lint-free cloth.
- Anodised: pH-neutral only, rinse immediately, dry immediately. Never acid or alkali.
- No abrasive materials on any aluminium finish.
Hardware
- Wipe hardware with a damp cloth and dry immediately.
- Lubricate residential window hardware (Technal tilt-and-turn) annually.
- Commercial WICONA hardware is maintained under the building maintenance contract by a specialist contractor.
Step 2 of 2: The Orloffs Protocol
The Orloffs Protocol
This is how I clean Hydro Building Systems windows. The tools and technique below come from 25 years of daily professional work on the glass. Every step has been tested on real installations and adapted specifically for Hydro Building Systems systems.
Pro Tools
My daily tool list. This is what I carry to every job.
Follow these steps in order. Each one builds on the last. This is the same sequence I use on every Hydro Building Systems installation.
- 1
Application type assessment
Confirm whether the installation is residential (Technal windows) or commercial (WICONA facade). The scale and access approach are completely different.
Identify the aluminium finish: powder coat or anodised. Check for integrated sun protection above the window.
On residential Technal installations with roller shutters, plan the top-to-bottom cleaning sequence before starting.
- 2
Glass wash (residential)
Apply soap solution with T-bar in full overlapping passes.
Dwell 30 to 60 seconds on soiling. On skylight glass, increase dwell time to 2 to 3 minutes for mineral and organic deposits.
Keep solution away from any integrated sun protection housing slots.
- 3
Edge detail
Cloth pass along the glass perimeter before squeegeeing.
Dry the top frame rail.
On anodised aluminium frames, use a barely damp cloth for the edge pass - less moisture contact is always better on anodised surfaces.
- 4
Squeegee
Side-to-side passes from the top. Fresh rubber blade. Clean rubber after every pass.
On large residential panels, use an extended channel and overlap passes carefully.
Bottom edge pass to complete.
- 5
Frame wipe-down
pH-neutral cleaner on a soft cloth. One direction along the frame face. Rinse with clean water. Dry with lint-free cloth.
On anodised aluminium: rinse and dry immediately after every product application.
Clear drainage slots with a soft brush.
- 6
Hardware and operation check
Run each window through full operation.
Dry all hardware after cleaning.
Annual lubrication of residential hardware at the service visit.
Pro Tips
- Technal and WICONA products are premium aluminium systems. The premium status means clients expect premium results. Every mark on an anodised frame is more visible than on painted PVC.
- REDUXA low-carbon aluminium from Hydro has no different surface properties from standard aluminium - it cleans identically. The environmental credential is in the production, not the surface.
- Anodised aluminium finish on Technal products in bronze or gold tones is particularly sensitive to alkaline products. Even a product that is slightly alkaline leaves a visible bloom on these tones.
- Skylight glass on Technal roof glazing needs more frequent cleaning than wall glass in the same property. Organic debris, bird droppings, and mineral deposits accumulate faster on horizontal glass.
- Commercial WICONA facade cleaning is a specialist discipline. If you are a residential cleaner approached to clean a WICONA commercial facade, be honest about whether your equipment and access setup is appropriate before taking the work.
- On Technal installations with integrated Somfy or Bubendorff motorised shutters, apply the same motor exclusion protocol as on heroal - keep solution away from the blade slot and any motor access point.
- Technal residential curtain walling elements in contemporary French houses (full-height glazing with minimal aluminium framing) require extended squeegee channels and careful water management to prevent runoff staining the external wall cladding.
What NOT To Do
- Do not use acid or alkaline products on anodised aluminium Technal or WICONA surfaces.
- Do not use abrasive materials on any aluminium finish.
- Do not attempt commercial curtain wall cleaning without appropriate specialist access equipment.
- Do not allow cleaning product to enter roller shutter housing slots on integrated Technal installations.
- Do not use razor blades on glass without confirming the glass specification and coating type.
Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations
Bundle Kit
Tool Recommendations
Unger ErgoTec Ninja squeegee with extended channel
View on Amazon [coming soon]Microfibre T-bar applicator
View on Amazon [coming soon]pH-neutral aluminium cleaner
View on Amazon [coming soon]Cleaning Frequency
Residential glass: 2x to 4x per year (Premium French and German residential typically specifies quarterly cleans.). Residential frames: Same schedule as glass (Anodised aluminium benefits from regular cleaning to prevent soiling from bonding to the surface.). Commercial facades: As per building maintenance contract (Typically 4x to 12x per year depending on building location and use.). Residential hardware: Once per year (Annual lubrication of Technal tilt-and-turn and casement mechanisms.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Field Notes
“Hydro Building Systems is the parent company behind two major aluminium brands. In the field, you encounter Technal labels on French residential windows and WICONA labels on German commercial projects. The cleaning protocol is determined by the application scale, not the brand name. The distinction between a Technal residential window and a WICONA commercial facade panel is not always immediately obvious when looking at an installation. Curtain wall panels have no opening sash - they are fixed glazing in an aluminium frame. If there is no handle, it is a fixed panel. Anodised aluminium finish identification is the most important pre-clean step on any Technal or WICONA installation. A product decision error on anodised aluminium produces permanent visible damage.”
Justin Orloff
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