Albany Door System History

Albany Door Systems' parent company, Albany International Corporation, pioneered the high speed door industry with the invention of the world's first high speed fabric roll up door in 1968.

An engineer at Albany International’s paper machine clothing plant in Halmstad, Sweden discovered an ingenious new use for the fabrics manufactured there. He designed a door with a fabric panel that would rapidly roll up and down quickly sealing the door’s opening. A unique counterbalance system kept the door closed tight and made for remarkably smooth operation. This groundbreaking technology produced a door that could open and close faster than any other industrial-use door in history. Requests from other companies for this “RapidRoll®” door soon followed leading to the creation of Albany International’s door division and the high speed door industry was born.

The door division, initially known as NOMAFA, later grew through the acquisitions of German high speed door manufacturers Schieffer, and Jansen, and Canadian door maker M&I. Capitalizing on the strengths of its acquired companies, the subsequently named Albany Door Systems continued a legacy of high speed door innovation throughout five worldwide production facilities located in Lawrenceville, Georgia, USA; Halmstad, Sweden; Lippstadt, Germany; West Gosford, Australia; and Panyu City, China. With over 100,000 installations to date, Albany Door Systems is recognized as the leading global manufacturer of high speed industrial doors