Why ASI Doors?

1965 - Arthur Smith III, grandson of the founder of A.O. Smith Corporation, established ASI in 1965 in order to design and build speed boats. Accounts of how Smith went from building boats to building high performance doors are numerous, but it seems at some point, Smith noticed a cooler door at a neighboring business that was virtually, disintegrating on its hinges. That's when Smith realized the fiberglass he was using to build ASI’s sleek and nearly indestructible boats might work equally well within the humid, even corrosive environments of the food and beverage industry. So, Smith put his idea to the test and the first fiberglass door was designed and built.

1981 - ASI patented a new kind of door operator and designed the company's first high speed door. The new operator vastly improved both the speed and reliability of automatic doors. By 1985, the Marathon brand was established to market a complete line of increasingly popular high-speed doors to a range of industrial, commercial and security markets.

1993 - George F. Balbach started with his father’s company working in various departments learning about the business.

1994 - Development of a series of cleanroom doors began in the 1980's, when ASI landed a 100-door project at a major pharmaceutical company. Cleanroom managers and architects from around the globe were consulted during the design phase. By 1994, the Cleanseal brand was established to offer a broad range of door styles, designed to meet the requirements of the pharmaceutical and bio-tech industries.

2008 - George F. Balbach took over as president

Today - Today, George F. Balbach continues ASI's traditions through ongoing innovation and the development of new doors designed to address customer challenges. Providing solutions remains at the core of each new door design, product upgrade and technology advance. As industrial application challenges continue to evolve and facilities increasingly rely on automated processes and sophisticated energy or security systems, the demand for doors that integrate seamlessly into these systems continues to grow. Energy efficiency, security, productivity, durability and appearance are all key elements of superior door design and engineering. Exciting new technologies and door designs are currently in the works in each of our markets. ASI remains dedicated to innovation and the production of quality, 'Made in the U.S.A.,' door solutions for a globally expanding marketplace.