The Challenge
A facility was operating with a Multi-Plex door system dating back to 1962 — a design that hasn’t been in production for decades. When the top half of the door was damaged, the customer faced a difficult situation: replace the entire door with a modern system, or find a way to repair the historic unit and preserve the existing infrastructure. With cold weather conditions in play and the facility bleeding heat through the open or compromised door, time was also a critical factor.
Standard replacement wasn’t an ideal option — a full system replacement on an older opening can involve significant structural work, cost, and lead time, none of which suited the urgency of the situation. The goal was to save the top half of the door and complete the repair in a timeframe that stopped the ongoing energy loss.
The Solution
Wilcox Door Service assessed the damage to the 1962 Multi-Plex door and developed a repair approach that preserved the functional sections while restoring the damaged top half. Working with a legacy system required sourcing compatible components — not a straightforward task for a door design that’s been out of production for over 60 years — and adapting the repair methodology to the construction and hardware of the original system.
The repair was prioritized for fast turnaround given the weather conditions and ongoing energy loss, with the Wilcox team completing the work within a timeframe that restored the door’s function before further cold weather damage could compound the problem.
Outcomes
The top half of the 1962 Multi-Plex door was successfully repaired and the door restored to operational condition within the required timeframe. The facility’s heat loss was stopped and the building envelope was restored before the weather conditions could cause further damage. The customer avoided the cost and lead time of a full door replacement while getting a functional result within the urgency window the situation demanded.
Why Wilcox
Legacy door systems require a different kind of expertise than modern installations. Finding compatible hardware for a 60-year-old design, understanding the construction of an obsolete system well enough to repair it properly, and completing the work quickly enough to prevent further facility damage — that combination is where Wilcox Door Service’s depth of experience shows. Not every contractor will take on a 1962 Multi-Plex repair. We did, and we got it done right.
Products & Equipment
- Legacy Multi-Plex Door Components (sourced for 1962 system)
RESULTS
- Thankfully, this door was able to be repaired, rather than replaced, cutting back on the cost significantly. Custom metal was formed and sheeting was fabricated.
- Furthermore, the inside of the door was rubberized and undercoated to help prevent rusting and a new coat of green paint was added to the exterior.
Products and solutions used for this project
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