© 2006 Door & Access Systems
Publish Date: Winter 2006
Author: Tom Wadsworth
Page 64

15 YEARS AGO
1992

Clopay Claims Residential Leadership

In Feb. 1992, Clopay Corporation announced the acquisition of Ideal Door of Baldwin, Wis., and Phenix Door of Shawano, Wis. “With these acquisitions, Clopay will become the largest manufacturer and marketer of residential garage doors in the United States,” said Clopay President George Strutz, when announcing the agreements.

In that same year, Clopay changed its name from Clopay Corporation to Clopay Building Products. Five years later, in 1997, Clopay also purchased Holmes-Hally Industries and Anozira Door Systems, garage door manufacturers in Los Angeles, Calif., and Tempe, Ariz., respectively.

Update: After a few years, Clopay discontinued the Phenix brand of wood entry, storm, and bi-fold doors and closed the Shawano facility. Today, Ideal Door continues to thrive in Baldwin, Wis.

United Dominion Buys Windsor Door

In early 1992, United Dominion Industries purchased three separate door companies of Robertson-Ceco Corporation, which included Windsor Door of Little Rock, Ark., a manufacturer of commercial and residential sectional doors and rolling doors.

The businesses involved in the acquisition had annual revenues of $265 million. The Windsor Door business became part of United Dominion’s construction products segment. R. Howard Burns remained as president of Windsor Doors.

Update: In 1997, United Dominion sold Windsor Door to American Buildings Company (ABC) of Eufaula, Ala. In 1999, ABC was acquired by Onex Corporation, which later formed Magnatrax Corporation, a holding company.

In 2003, Magnatrax Corporation filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. In early 2004, Windsor Door was acquired by Desco Capital Partners, which also owned Republic (entry) Doors. Republic and Windsor then merged to form Windsor Republic Doors.

10 YEARS AGO
1997

Stanley Door Systems Sold to Whistler

In early 1997, Birmingham, Mich.-based Stanley Door Systems, a subsidiary of The Stanley Works, announced the sale of its garage-related products business to Whistler Corp., Chelmsford, Mass., a maker of automotive electronics and radar detectors. The deal included Stanley’s garage doors, garage door openers, gate operators, and related electronic accessories.

“The sale of our garage-related products will enable us to continue as a leader and expand our market share,” said Stanley Door Systems President Richard Dandurand.

Update: In 1999, The Stanley/Whistler door and opener operations were bought by Innovative Home Products, also of Birmingham, Mich. Later that year, Linear Corporation of Carlsbad, Calif., acquired the Stanley/Whistler (Multi-Code) radio controls division.

In 2000, Innovative Home Products halted garage door manufacturing operations. In 2001, Innovative filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and closed its Stanley garage door opener operations in Covington, Ohio.