We are not makers of history. We are made by history.
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

We weren’t always the world’s largest independent manufacturer of overhead door hardware. From our humble beginnings in a two-car garage to a 250,000+ square foot manufacturing facility, here are some highlights from our journey.

1981

Helton Industries is founded by Gerhard Rauch and Henry Neels.

1982

Helton’s first shipment of garage door products to Stanley Garage Door in Auburn, Washington.

1984

Helton introduces 2” door track.

1988

Helton introduces heavy duty 3” commercial door track.

Helton expands into the local wholesale market through creation of Westgate Door.

1990

Helton develops fully automated garage door hinge line.

1994

Helton builds new 40,000 sq.ft. manufacturing facility.

1995

Helton begins manufacturing of window frames and decorative inserts for garage doors.

1996

Helton expands building size to 77,000 sq.ft.

1998

Helton introduces pre-packaged hardware kits.

2002

Helton purchases adjacent property and expands to 150,000 sqft of manufacturing area.

2003

Dura-Hem Safety Track is developed.

2004

Horizon Series garage door windows are introduced for seamless inventory transitions.

2006

Helton acquires 12 acres of adjacent land for expansion.

2007

104,000 sq.ft. building erected on new land. Building houses new Spring Plant and Wholesale Division.

2009

Helton expands product lines to include Accessory items such as Weather Seal, Door Lube and Access Controls.

2012

Helton joins FlexiForce, a division of the ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems Group.

2015

FlexiForce introduces commercial injection frames.

2017

FlexiForce opens manufacturing facility in Peachtree City, Georgia.

When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.
– Roy E. Disney

Our values and beliefs lead us in all we do, and our values create our organizational ‘culture’. It’s the way we do things as a group of employees, and together we act with integrity, empowerment and innovation with a special focus on safety and teamwork.

Empowerment: We have trust in people

• We believe that our people can achieve great things.
• We generously give responsibility, authority to act, and provide opportunities.
• We value doing, and know that failing means learning.
• We work together, and grow as diverse perspectives meet.
• We listen closely to those nearest our customers.

Innovation: We have the courage to change

• We dare to innovate ourselves, our products, and our industry.
• We use technology to fuel change.
• We don’t get scared by uncertainty or by making tough decisions.
• We drive towards ambitious goals with tomorrow in mind.
• We are natural-born innovators.

Integrity: We stand up for what’s right

• We are straight forward and tell it like it is.
• We are trustworthy, reliable and always keep our word.
• We strive to be responsible, in every situation.
• We value results, not titles or backgrounds.
• We provide a safe and respectful work environment.

Safety: Together we are safe

• We are all in the safety business.
• We all have rights and responsibilities.
• We participate in hazard identification and safe operating procedures.
• We report near misses and accidents immediately.
• We work towards zero incidents.
• We speak up, we participate and we care about everyone going home injury free.

Teamwork: Together we achieve more

• We are all responsible for a culture that is blame-free.
• We provide each other feedback.
• We have no ego.
• We respect human rights and accept people for who they are.
• We know what must be done to assist each other.
• We willingly do what must be done to assist each other.

Sustainability is the key to our survival on this planet and will also determine success on all levels.
– Shari Arison

Sustainability is a driver throughout our value chain; it is an important element in innovation, in sourcing, in production, in employee development, in applying our products and solutions, and in our relation to external stakeholders. Efficient production and reducing environmental impact is our goal.

We have been working for several years to minimize our environmental footprint.  Energy consumption and associated carbon emissions are responsible for most of our impact on the environment. Reduced energy consumption and higher efficiency is therefore a top priority. We also work systematically to reduce the amount of waste generated by our production processes, seek out opportunities to reuse by-products, and participate in a wide variety of recycling programs to minimize the amount of waste being sent to the landfill.

FYE 2021 Highlights:

• Energy efficiency improved by 44% compared to 2015 levels.
• Energy from renewable sources comprises 49% of total consumption.
• Waste to landfill reduced by 26% compared to 2015 levels.
• Waste diversion rate of 98.1%; only 1.9% of waste produced goes to the landfill.

Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.
– Mattie Stepanek

FlexiForce is a proud member of the following industry associations:

	International Door Association The International Door Association was formed in 1996 with the consolidation of the Door & Operator Dealers Association and the Far Western Garage Door Association. IDA is the industry network for professional door and operator dealers and installers, along with their suppliers, who are willing to share their knowledge, information, experiences, and opinions. While IDA represents the entire door and operator dealer industry by promoting the use of professional dealers and installers, it is a truly membership-driven association, relying on the input and feedback of its members to create and deliver programs of real value.
	Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association DASMA – the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association – is the new voice of the industry for manufacturers of residential and commercial garage doors, rolling doors, and door operators and remote controls. The Association was formed by the consolidation of two industry trade associations–the Door & Operator Remote Controls Manufacturers Association (DORCMA) and the National Association of Garage Door Manufacturers (NAGDM)–both of which trace their history back to the 1960s.
	Canadian Door Institute The Canadian Door Institute was formed in 1971, and incorporated as a non-profit trade-association in 1975, to serve the interests of member-firms engaged in the upward-acting door industry. The association is fully funded by the membership, and is dedicated to the improvement of the door industry. It is a national organization with chapters across Canada, and membership is open to manufacturers, distributors, installer companies (dealers) and suppliers, of upward acting door products, and related items.
	Western Access Systems Association Western Access Systems Association (WASA) is a non-profit association, originally incorporated in 1983 as the California Operator & Door Association (CODA). WASA represents California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. WASA’s mission is to promote the integrity and professionalism of the garage door and gate industry through consumer awareness and the use of licensed contractors.