Custom color capability opens door to new markets
A garage door maker offers 59 color choices in powder, increasing demand while slowing turnaround by outsourcing coating. When its coater goes out of business, the manufacturer picks up the gun and sprays powder on a line installed inside its own doors.
Martin Door Manufacturing started in 1936. Based in Salt Lake City, the company makes garage doors from steel, copper, and wood. It prides itself on quality and innovation, being at the forefront of the garage door industry. In the 1970's, it introduced steel sectional doors to its product line. In addition, the company pioneered color choice: It was the first to offer a color other than white. The second color? A brown the company called rustic cedar. The company was also the first in the overhead sectional garage door industry to introduce the next color - almond. "We led the way in our industry for color and felt that was quite sufficient until the last 5 to 10 years," said Larry Martin, company vice president.