Doors by George wouldn’t exist without Wayne Dalton, so we want to share some of our history with you so you can see how we started and have grown into what we are today. Here’s a brief history lesson on how one of the leading garage door companies emerged.
How It All Began
It started in 1954 when Emanuel Mullet purchased a garage door company in Mt. Eaton, OH. He moved the small business—Wayne Door—to Mt. Hope, located in a charming Amish farming community. There he began creating wooden doors from parts being manufactured in Wisconsin.
By 1962, Wayne Door was comprised completely of skilled Amish craftspeople who were now manufacturing wood door sections in house. The business began to grow and expand, offering more products than ever before. A second business was then planted in Dalton, OH, in 1973, where they started manufacturing wooden and steel commercial garage doors.
A third plant was developed in 1978 in Mt. Hope, where innovation really began to soar. They started building insulated garage doors to increase the energy efficiency of the buildings where they were installed. Thermospan and Thermowayne overhead doors arose, giving Wayne Door an edge over its competition and helping the company make a name for itself as a true innovator in the industry.
Wayne Dalton Corporation Emerges
In 1982, Wayne Door merged with Dalton International to create Wayne Dalton Corporation in Dalton, OH. Wayne Dalton absorbed various other companies over the next several years, adding many more products to their lineup, including commercial and residential sectional garage doors, rolling steel doors, mini storage doors, security grilles, and Foamcore.
From 1992 to Today
Wayne Dalton’s corporate headquarters was built in 1992 in Mt. Hope and is the business's largest manufacturing plant today. It’s located across from the original Wayne Door; the company continues to grow and innovate in the place that started it all. The beautiful plant, which won a design award for its integration with the rural landscape, mixes modernity with historical charm. While inventing and introducing new technology and leading-edge garage door products, workers are still inspired by the Amish farmers riding past in their horses and buggies.
Today, Wayne Dalton is known around the world for their quality, innovation, and true craftsmanship. They manufacture a vast selection of commercial and residential doors and products and work with dealers across the United States and overseas. They have over 2000 independent dealers, 70 sales centers, and nine manufacturing facilities. They’ve won many awards over the years for their outstanding products.
We are proud of the Wayne Dalton garage doors we offer our customers. We continue to expand our product line as Wayne Dalton continues to invent and invest in quality. Browse our website to see what all we have to offer! If you need service in the Cedar Rapids area, just let us know! We’d love to work with you. Contact us directly or click below to set up a consultation.
