Total Door Increases Production with New Facility

July 7, 2011 - PRLog -- Waterford, MI, July 7, 2011 – One of the keys to success for any business is “Value Chain Management” which is the process of efficiently managing every aspect of the manufacturing process.  For most businesses this means keeping close tabs on outsourced processes and multiple suppliers.  Total Door takes a different approach.

Total Door designs and manufacturers complete, commercial door systems.  The Total Door facility in Waterford, MI houses 90% of the value chain, from concept to completion and everything in between.

“We opened our new facility about two years ago,” explains Total Door CEO Patricia Yulkowski. “We re-engineered the entire process and designed the building with the intention of putting everything under one roof.  I believed by doing this we could deliver a better product and provide better service to our customers.”

Results prove she is right.  Total Door has been recognized as an industry leader in innovations such as locking mechanisms, hardware, UV/EB coating, manufacturing and setting durability standards ten times greater than industry requirements.

Yulkowski is an architect by training and knew a solution to value chain management was more complex than simply designing a large building.  An effective design had to: facilitate collaboration between departments, maximize technology, support process improvement, demonstrate value of employees, create a positive work environment and demonstrate corporate leadership.

Total Door achieved the objectives with what Yulkowski describes as “democratic” design. “Everyone in the company had input and work environments for all employees were considered equally,” Yulkowski said.

The result is a facility that is 20% smaller than Total Door’s old building with a production capacity that is four times greater.  The new facility has also enabled Total Door to achieve 100% on-time delivery to their clients.

“We’ve been able to do more with less because the building design has helped us reduce errors, eliminate non-value work, increase efficiency and improve the overall quality of our work environment,” Yulkowski noted.
The new facility streamlines the entire process of creating customized door systems.  “We do everything right here from designing, manufacturing, testing, assembling and even conducting training for our customers,” Yulkowski said.  

Incorporating a product testing area into the building is critical to customer satisfaction, according to Yulkowski.  Every week a complete door system is taken apart to test welds, adhesions and durability.  Such tests are key to consistent improvement.

Another critical part of the building design was being able to demonstrate Total Door innovations to customers. Total Door systems were incorporated into the facility as a real-world application showcase for clients.  Customers can actually see features and benefits, rather than being asked to imagine the product experience.

“Total Door is the only manufacturer in the world to offer integrated commercial door systems,” Yulkowski explains.  Being able to show customers all this in one location is a great selling tool.”

Yulkowski believes the new Total Door facility is proof of the corporate belief that true innovation is more than just a good idea; it’s also good  business.  



Total Door has been in operation since 1975.  The Waterford, MI. facility houses research and development, manufacturing, testing and training facilities.  Total Door has been recognized as an industry leader in innovations such as locking mechanisms, hardware, UV/EB coating and manufacturing. Learn more about Total Door systems at http://totaldoor.com/  or call 248-773-7350.

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