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through the approval processes, which can
cost tens of thousands of dollars, Mr. Stewart
said. “…but out of that (process), we could get
10 customers approved without even having
to meet them so that’s how we stay innova-
tive, staying on the cutting edge of what’s
changing and how the market changes.”
Marketing is another challenge, and Wilcox
Door is always looking for new ways to recycle
concepts and ideas, and find new ways to mar-
ket their products. Though they’ve taken ad-
vantage of what social media can offer, the lat-
est anti-spam legislation in Canada has them
considering a move back to traditional mail.
One of Mr. Stewart’s best business tools is his
involvement with Young Presidents’ Organiza-
tion (YPO), an international group that brings
young executives together on a global level
and offers a peer network, trusted mentors
and ongoing education. “It’s pretty amazing,”
he said.
Many factors contribute to the success of
any company. Innovation and quality are two
of Wilcox Door’s strengths but they also rely
on strong management, a talented sales force
and hard-working, skilled employees. “When
it comes to hiring people we tend to get better
staff and they don’t leave because of the pen-
sions and such,” Mr. Stewart said. “We have
a guy who’s retiring and he’s worked for the
company for 40 years and he’s still going to
work three days a week because he wants to
still.” As well, they’ve built strong relationships
over the years with others in the industry like
Assa Abloy, Hormann Flexon, Wayne Dalton,
Micanan, Raynor Garage Doors and, of course,
Richards-Wilcox.
“We’re a company that’s been around for a
long time, we stand by our work and we have
great people, and that’s really kind of the
point…”
