Schweiss Doors

Schweiss Doors makes hydraulic and bifold doors, and hangar doors are a main product. The company says it has built doors since 1980. It started in Minnesota in the United States and describes itself as a family run business. The doors are made for commercial, aviation, agriculture and retail buildings, so aviation is only one of several markets.

The founder, Mike Schweiss, tells on the about page how he began. In 1980 a friend suggested a door that folds up. His first bifold door measured 12 by 12 feet and went on a county highway shed. The business had made farm items such as farrowing crates, snowblowers and trailers before that.

Today the company designs, engineers, manages and builds hydraulic and bifold liftstrap doors. Sizes run from 6 feet wide up to 140 feet wide and as tall as 60 feet. It also has installation crews that travel across the country. The site says a custom computer program lists every steel part of each door, down to the hinges, nuts and bolts.

The home page explains its design. Each door uses two large hydraulic cylinders with spherical bearings at both ends. The company says this lets the cylinders stay straight, cuts wear on pins and reduces bowing. Doors have a self supporting subframe, large rods and double push tubes. The site also covers its pump systems.

The plant has more than 20,000 square feet of assembly space for engineering, and an electrical room attached to the warehouse. The site includes customer comments and a careers page. Phone numbers are listed, including an 800 line.