OPENING DOORS TO EXCELLENCE
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN MEETS SUPERIOR CRAFTMANSHIP.
Tasmanian Oak entry door set.
Blackbutt lining board entry door.
American Oak custom joinery lining board entry door. All photos: Specialty Doors
A GRAND WELCOME
Entrance doors are far more than simple functional elements, they are the gateways that connect the outside world to the sanctuaries we create within our homes, businesses, and public spaces. These doors do much more than open and close; they serve as the first line of defence, offering security and privacy while also conveying a sense of welcome and warmth. Whether adorned with intricate design or built for sheer practicality, the entrance door sets the tone for what lies beyond.
Specialty Doors, a proud Australian manufacturer, exemplifies the craftsmanship and ingenuity required to elevate these essential elements of every structure. With a comprehensive range of options and a commitment to sustainability, this Melbourne-based company is leading the charge in redefining entrance doors for the modern era.
CUSTOMISED AND CRAFTED FOR EVERY SPACE
Specialty Doors manufactures over 1,000 doors weekly, catering to residential and commercial projects alike. From classic joinery designs to state-of-the-art fire-rated and acoustic-certified options, their doors exemplify quality and precision. For entrance doors, the emphasis is clear: robust construction, stunning aesthetics, and a design ethos that prioritises both form and function.
Owner and Managing Director of Specialty Doors, Marcus Bastiaan advised, “we have Australia’s largest range of entrance doors and cover all types of doors that they can manufacture”. Specialty Doors make one thousand doors per week. Bastiaan explained, “of those doors, there will be 500 different types of doors, whether that be different in design and or size as one-offs, or a small run of just four or five. We specialist is unique and custom doors, we don’t want to manufacture the biggest volume of doors, we want to manufacture the best doors”. Specialty Doors also have a range of commercial doors which are more cookie cutter type doors like their fire doors and 6mm internal MDF doors as well as a lot of oversized doors. Bastiaan added, “we manufacture the most oversized doors in Australia, with up to 400 doors per week, some exceeding 3.6 meters in height”.
Most customers fit into one of two categories: 1) re-sellers, who sell mainly to residential or 2) tier 1 or 2 commercial, who predominantly are doing commercial construction projects such as schools, hospitals, high rise and or multi res projects. As an overall average, the reseller customers make up 60% of production which leaves 40% of the work to commercial customers. Bastiaan said, “our commercial projects often run for up to 6 months, however we often get specs from architects for a range of different projects as well, particularly with pivot entry doors, where we are generally making around ten or more of these doors per week. We also get a lot of the tricky doors to produce, the ones that no one else wants to do, we get those jobs because we have the skills and production process to be able to manufacture these doors”.
SUSTAINABILITY IN EVERY GRAIN
Timber is at the heart of Specialty Doors’ mission. By sourcing 100% of their wood from certified mills, they ensure compliance with industry standards while championing sustainable forestry practices.
Specialty Doors only purchase timber that is PEFC and or FSC certified across the whole business, and across all products. Bastiaan said, “we like to meet the minimum standard for any of our resellers. As a Standard, these have been the most widely adopted nationally and the systems of reporting and certification are reliable. The environmental standards are relevant for the practical management of timber and are based off a common-sense approach.
MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF THE TIMBER INDUSTRY
While passionate about Australian hardwoods, Bastiaan advised, “the closure of Victorian native forests, by the local VIC Government forced us to adapt and shift much of our timber purchases to imported timber, which also had an influence on making the decision not to expand our Victorian manufacturing operation”.
Eucalyptus grandis commonly known as Flooded or Rose Gum, and Fagus sylvatica commonly known as European Beech, are the two main species imported and used today in production, along with American Oak and Western Red Cedar, for some top end luxury jobs. Marcus said, “today 85% of the timber used is imported. It is a huge shame that we used to be an Australian based manufacture of predominately Australian products and are now an international products-based manufacture”.
SHIFTING TRENDS
Luxury homes are embracing larger doors with entrance doors often 2700mm in width or wider. Bastiaan explained, “Pivot and oversize entry doors are becoming more popular. Similarly, the internal doors for medium to high end homes are looking for doors above 2340mm in height, we are seeing a lot of 2500mm, 2700mm and even 3000mm”. This is not an industry trend, but more of what Specialty Doors are seeing and relates to the top 10% to 20% of high-end homes.
The entrance door really is the first impression of the house joining the outside to the inside of the home. Bastiaan believes, “if you are going to invest something a little special in your home, the front entry door is a great place to do this, as it is something you can enjoy every single day. As far as bang for your buck, the entry door is a particularly good place to invest”.
A BALANCE OF INNOVATION AND TRADITION
Specialty Doors combines advanced CNC machinery with the skill of experienced craftspeople to produce exceptional doors. Due to most production runs being five or less of doors, a lot of the process is manual. Where Specialty Doors can digitise elements of the business that are efficient and effective, they will. “For custom products, human intervention is crucial. Our innovations optimise material usage without sacrificing craftsmanship,” says Bastiaan.
Specialty Doors are currently finalising a range of custom timber door handles, that will be available to the market in early 2025. Where possible they are using beautiful Australian hardwoods like blackbutt, Tas Oak, Ironbark and Spotted Gum to showcase these species in homes as entrance or internal door handles.
INVESTING IN PEOPLE AND PROCESSES
Specialty Doors attributes much of its success to its skilled team, which employs over fifty staff in Victoria now. By paying staff above-award wages and empowering staff to make decisions, they foster a collaborative and innovative workplace. Bastiaan explained, “we have a very skilled team of both guys and girls who have decades of experience in producing manufactured doors, but they have broader woodworking and custom joinery skills”. This approach enables them to continue manufacturing within Australia, in an industry where many competitors outsource production overseas.
Specialty Doors have three different production lines within the Victorian operation and four different finishing production teams that oversee different types of projects. These teams have support from the office who also co-ordinate dispatch and delivery to site.
“We are big enough to handle projects like an 80-story high-rise, yet flexible enough to create one-off, intricate designs, at the same time,” notes Bastiaan.
Increasing production to meet the overall market demand is what Specialty Doors have been able to sustain. With moving into new markets, the expectation is that they will maintain that trajectory.
In terms of investment, Specialty Doors prioritises acquiring machinery that meets specific production needs, rather than purchasing equipment based on an array of features that may not be used in the future. Marcus prefers to invest in second-hand machines from the 1980s and 1990s, particularly those built with high-quality steel from manufacturers in Germany, England, and Italy. These machines, like hydraulic presses and ban saws are typically large, durable, and relatively easy to maintain, making them a sound long-term investment for the company.
BRANCHING OUT TO INCREASE PRODUCTION
Specialty Doors have found there is currently no shortage of demand for their doors. Bastiaan believes, “if you can produce a good quality product at a reasonable price in the middle to upper market, the industry will support your endeavours”. With the need to increase production, and concerns about further investment into Victoria, Specialty Doors made the decision to expand the business into other States.
After researching the East Coast for their expansion, Bastiaan explained, “Queensland made the most sense, for our first interstate location. It has huge potential growth, good aspects to the workforce, and I don’t believe this market has been well serviced”. Bastiaan moved to QLD to set up the distribution outlet on the Gold Coast and find the right location to build their new manufacturing plant, where land has been purchased, the factory is now being built, with expectations to open this facility in mid 2025.
In addition to the Queensland expansion, Specialty Doors have recently set up a small-scale dispatch site in South Australia. They understand there will be several large commercial projects that will start up in SA. Bastiaan explained, “while we are very interested in the reseller and commercial markets, Specialty Doors are also very interested in bringing a new sweet for architectural high end building projects. We like to bring new products to improve the optionality, and we will be looking to do this in SA”. Specialty Doors will be servicing and despatching in early 2025 into SA, and the plan is to set up a production facility potentially in 2026.
Specialty Doors deliver nationally, and with the expansion into Queensland and South Australia will make this task easier particularly for the Western Australian and Northern Territory customers, and at the same time allow the increases in production they seek. In New South Wales, Specialty Doors have commercial customers, which they service via the Victorian operation; however, they will have the flexibility to service this region from either Victoria or Queensland.
SPECIALTY COMMERCIAL AND ACOUSTICS SET TO LAUNCH
Specialty Group, which Specialty Doors is part of, has launched two new product-based businesses, Specialty Commercial and Specialty Acoustics. Specialty Commercial is focused on timber profiling and custom componentry, while Specialty Acoustics offers a range of acoustic products.
Bastiaan said, “the new product businesses were an answer to sustained enquiry and a chance to expand the Specialty Groups product range. The new companies give us the chance to broaden our existing product range. We have found a growing demand from existing customers for quality timber componentry and a renewed focus on acoustic performance from the Australian and New Zealand building industries.”
A VISION FOR THE FUTURE
As Specialty Doors expands, their ambition reflects the resilience of Australia’s manufacturing sector. With an unwavering focus on quality, sustainability, and customer satisfaction, they continue to set the benchmark for entrance doors in the Australian construction and building industry.
Whether welcoming guests, standing guard, or making an architectural statement, entrance doors are essential elements of any building. Specialty Doors proves that Australian manufacturing is capable of not only meeting but exceeding global standards. They continue to open doors-literally and figuratively-to a bigger, brighter, and greener future.
Source: TTN
MAIN PIC: (L-R) American Oak veneer pivot entry door, with full length steel handle; Period joinery entry door and leadlight; Cedar batten entry door. All photos: Specialty Doors
