menu icon
X
Blog

The Pioneering Spirit & History of The Sliding Door Company

The Pioneering Spirit & History of The Sliding Door Company The year is 2005, and in Los Angeles, CA a new chapter unfolds in the world of design as The Sliding Door Company is born.

When you think about glass panels, you’re likely to picture exterior doors and windows for a retail business on the street. Or maybe you envision office walls that separate a conference room from the rest of the space. The founding team had a different vision – they saw a world of possibilities where function and style could seamlessly come together. The team identified an opportunity within homes and businesses across the San Fernando Valley, and that’s precisely how The Sliding Door Company began. Over the years, it has become the leading innovator of interior sliding glass doors, with availability worldwide within the U.S., Canada, and Asia.

And guess what? It all started with a closet door.

A True Original

As pioneers in the industry, and since our inception, we’ve consistently pushed boundaries to deliver innovative solutions and dependable products that stand the test of time. In a market dominated by bulky wooden doors and fragile mirrored closet sliders, our founder saw a glaring need for a more practical and stylish solution.

Enter tempered glass. With superior safety, little-to-no maintenance, and a sleek modern aesthetic, it was a wonder why sliding closet doors weren’t already being made with glass! The market standard for closet doors is cheap, mirrored panels that are notorious for being a pain. They are easily damaged, prone to warping, dangerous, and constantly fall off the track – leaving your belongings exposed and your patience tested. We saw the lack of solutions and took advantage of the opportunity to disrupt an industry and make a positive impact.

Initially, retailers were enthusiastic about carrying these innovative doors. However, the challenge lay in educating sales staff and helping customers understand the application and why they should make the switch from the more commonplace choice of a mirrored panel or swing door.

A before and after example showcasing one of our first office installations. Clearly, a glass wall preserves natural light, unlike drywall.

Bold Moves, Big Rewards

Our founder understood that we needed to make a bold move to propel the business. So, what ultimately brought The Sliding Door Company to the market? The team took a calculated risk and placed a full-page advertisement in the Los Angeles Times Sunday Edition – a significant investment and a gamble on a product line that had yet to find its footing in the market. Public perception was overwhelmingly positive, and the company recouped this investment, marking the beginning of a long-lasting advertising partnership between The Sliding Door Company and the LA Times.

A Commitment to Innovation

The company’s innovative spirit then extended beyond marketing.

We secured our first patent in January 2010 for our sliding door system, marking us as the first and only company to place the wheel mechanism in the vertical frame of sliding doors. While others place the wheels in the horizontal bottom frame of the door, our revolutionary patent prioritizes safety and quality, ensuring that your doors will never derail or leave the track.

US Patent #7,647,729 – The first and only company to place the wheel mechanism in the vertical frame of a sliding door.

The Sliding Door Company became an exclusive WeWork partner at the company’s launch – bringing their vision for modern, design-focused, collaborative co-working spaces to life. This collaboration perfectly exemplified the company’s commitment to innovation in a traditional industry – pushing boundaries and introducing bold statements that ultimately become the new “industry standard.”

One of our very first WeWork installations in Hollywood, CA, showcasing our sliding glass doors and office partitions.

Throughout our tenure we’ve seen our fair share of competitors, however, we take pride in our originality in being “first movers” and industry leaders in the market. We were the first to bring interior sliding glass doors to the market, and nowadays other companies are simply playing catch up.

A Commitment to Client Success

If there’s anything you’ll gain from this post, and trip down memory lane, is that we’re not the type of company to settle on ‘good enough.’ Behind the scenes, we’re fueled by a relentless passion for innovation, whether that’s developing new finishes, crafting unique products, or introducing new additions to our existing line-up. We’re always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, and we’re deeply committed to being the ultimate partner for our clients – from homeowners to large-scale developers, and all in between.

Private rooms for patrons at Starbucks in Seattle, WA. A Petco Wellness Center in Irvine, CA, one of 151 locations in the U.S. where our glass enclosures are utilized.

Our mission: To develop strong relationships with our partners by providing lasting, functional, attractive, and innovative interior glass door solutions from our factory, direct to you, worldwide. We strongly value collaboration and teamwork, and we’re determined to build trust with our clients and elevate your experience in working with us from start to finish.

19 years ago, we started with the closet door, and since then we’ve seen the endless possibilities that sliding glass doors can unlock at any home or business around the world. If you’re intrigued, we invite you to discover 10 reasons why The Sliding Door Company is the perfect partner for your next project. You can also contact our team for a quote, or to discuss how we can help bring your vision to life.

We look forward to collaborating with you and transforming your space!