In 1950, Andries Fonteyn and Julius Gaal founded the organ-building workshop Fonteyn & Gaal in an old building on Korte Leidsedwarsstraat in Amsterdam. Andries Fonteyn (1914-2010) previously worked with organ builder Strunk in Rotterdam, while Julius Gaal (1902-1971) was of Hungarian descent. Initially, their organs featured Baroque dispositions but incorporated modern designs with electro-pneumatic action. Around 1970, the company transitioned to making mechanical organs with slider chests.

Following Julius Gaal's death in 1971, Andries Fonteyn continued the business under his own name and relocated it to Kampen in 1974. In 1979, Fonteyn retired, and his employees Marius Elize Kaat and Levinus Gerardus Tijhuis took over, renaming the company Kaat & Tijhuis. From the beginning, they focused on traditional instruments with mechanical action. Kaat specialized in organ pipes and intonation, while Tijhuis managed design and workshop leadership. The company's development is evident in their increasing use of in-house, traditional manufacturing methods. Today, Menno Kaat, son of Marius, oversees the company, supported by a dedicated team of eight employees. Kaat & Tijhuis maintains and restores mechanical, pneumatic, and electro-pneumatic organs, continuing to foster organ culture through their craftsmanship.

http://www.kaatentijhuis.nl/geschiedenis-engels.html