Dan Sullivan, MD of leading composite door supplier DoorCo talks with Windows Active, about their prepped door service and plans for 2023.
The manufacturing side of DoorCo has been integral to the business since it was first introduced in 2012 and now makes up 30% of our sales. Traditionally, this service delivers fully prepped doors, manufactured to specification for window and door installers and fabricators for them to sell on to the end user. We work with customers who deliver to multiple markets, from the retail sector where our customers are dealing directly with the homeowner, to the commercial new build and social housing sectors, where requirements can be very different. We also support our Distribution customers – larger fabricators with in-house manufacturing facilities – with additional services, like painting, prepping for bespoke orders or to support capacity.
Prepping a door is essentially transforming a door blank into the design of choice including apertures for glazing and hardware. Any specification is catered for across our two types of slab, the ORiGINAL foam-core or GRiPCORE, the solid timber core alternative. We can prep for any lock; any hinge; open in; open out; edgeband painted or not. We can paint to any colour, whether from our Approved DoorCo PAiNT range or to match any RAL, using our three state-of-the art paint lines. We can also glaze doors so they are delivered pre-glazed with DoorCo Approved (and some exclusive) GLAZiNG designs in either our own FLiP glazing cassette system, or Inox cassettes. All these elements are available to all of our customers, no matter the type, size and volume required, and they are delivered by an expert team, focused on quality in under 12 days.
Adapt and flex
The prepped door service has evolved in line with customer demand into one that can flex and adapt to suit the customer’s individual requirements. This flexibility is essential when you consider the complexities of the supply chain and the requirements of the different markets in which our customers operate. For example, homeowners often want bespoke, one-off designs with personalised combinations of colour, hardware and glass. Whilst commercial customers are looking for volume orders of different permutations, delivered in line with their schedules.
Capacity
Creating an adaptable service is thanks to a well documented programme of investment in technology and people. From relatively humble beginnings, DoorCo is now a multi-site business, with state-of-the-art manufacturing and warehousing facilities that total 95,000 sq.ft, which are well-stocked with a comprehensive range of composite door components, that can be delivered to customers when and how they need them. We also offer end-to-end online ordering connected to our online door designer, the ability to use customer’s own barcoding, fast lead times and Just In Time delivery. This is supported by product integration into systems and marketing, including the ability to link in bespoke in-house systems.
Over the last year or so we have been focused on consolidation and making internal improvements in both technology and staff, to improve the service we deliver to our customers. Alongside our own development plans, customer feedback has driven change within DoorCo. One such development is the investment in new senior managers and department heads. The manufacturing team, which has naturally evolved over the years, is now under the leadership of head of manufacturing Aaron Williamson and exceeds 65 people, with differing areas and degrees of responsibility.
Building for the future
It’s no secret that the industry has been seeing unprecedented sales and the supply chain has been struggling to keep up. This has also influenced our decision to start a new round of investment. Aaron joined DoorCo last year having spent 13 years working in manufacturing across different industries in the UK and USA. His experience means he offers a totally new perspective on manufacturing capabilities and alongside his team, is delivering a plan to unlock capacity and deliver greater resilience for the future.
We are investing £750k in redesigning the layout of our manufacturing facility, that will streamline production, relieve any bottlenecks, and create space for extra machinery. Over the next month or so, we will be realising the plans (with as little downtime as possible) and taking delivery of a second Beam Saw, a New CNC Addition (taking us 6 in total), a state of art extraction system and lean production flow with automated system enhancements.
It’s exciting times at DoorCo; we never stand still for long. Our independent status means we can flex, adapt and invest, and no matter what the sector continues to face, we are committed and ready to support our customers in the best way we can.
