Style, Sensibility and Function
ProfilDoors-USA opens up new possibilities with state-of-the-art solutions
The 2018 U.S. debut of ProfilDoors in San Jose, California, ushered in welcome possibilities for cutting-edge, high-quality doors.
Established in 2002, ProfilDoors currently supplies primarily interior door systems across Eastern and Western Europe and the Middle East through its distributors in Germany, Italy, Israel, Poland and beyond. The company’s well-designed products are manufactured to exacting standards at its 320,000-square-foot factory near Moscow.
Serguei Jeltychev founded the U.S. branch of ProfilDoors to introduce a higher caliber of product to the American design-build market. As a licensed general contractor providing residential construction in the Bay Area, Jeltychev was dismayed by the limited choice of high-quality construction products compared to what was readily available in Europe and other parts of the world. He found one key product category sorely lacking: advanced European interior doors and door hardware.
So he reached out to ProfilDoors, a brand that sets European standards for quality, innovation and creative designer solutions. After numerous meetings and receiving an enthusiastic response during trade shows and other joint industry outreach in the San Francisco market, Jeltychev launched ProfilDoors-USA and serves as President of the U.S. business.
The company’s Director of Sales, Antonio Foti, met Jeltychev while working as an interior designer and installer for Spanish tile producer PORCELANOSA Grupo, which contracted with Jeltychev to build several large showrooms. Foti’s design talents, passion for quality and creative solutions multiply the value offered to ProfilDoors-USA clients and partners.
“Architects in the U.S. may not have knowledge of all the systems that are available, because most of those on the forefront of design are coming from Europe, and those companies are not represented or doing much marketing here,” Jeltychev explains. “We’re trying to change that.”
Undeniable Advantages, Abundant Options
Numerous features distinguish these doors from the usual choices. ProfilDoors offers aluminum edging in anodized, polished or black finishes, imparting a modern look with enhanced wear properties. This clean look is amplified when the firm’s standard wooden doorframes—which they call “Monoblock”—are closed, as the outside door surface is flush to the built-in casing. Doorframes also come standard with weather stripping or silicone rubber gaskets to support noise cancellation. Another key difference: Doors are cut to use European magnetic locks, which have a cleaner look, activate when the door nears the frame and are very quiet.
Not only are no extra lock parts visible in the frame with the door closed, the doors ship with concealed hinges. Beyond aesthetics, these hinges enable easy adjustment without having to plane the door. And, because the Monoblock jamb system is reversible, doors don’t have to be ordered ahead as left or right. Instead, the client and contractor make those decisions on the day of installation.
Currently, ProfilDoors offers 19 standard series of doors with multiple models within each series. These semi-custom products give clients a choice of hundreds of door models and nearly 50 covering finishes in styles spanning classical to modern and all price points. An exclusive made-to-order series expands size and design possibilities. In addition, some door models can be further customized with inserts, such as aluminum molding, glass and natural wood veneers.
Clearly Superior Finishes
Door style options include glossy and wood grain finishes. The latter ideally replicate the structure and grain of natural wood, thanks to the advanced polypropylene laminate film supplied by German chemical manufacturer RENOLIT. This “green” material meets the European Union’s stringent environmental standards with no off-gassing.
Committed to innovation, quality and environmental responsibility, ProfilDoors stays on the forefront of developing product, not just supplying it. Through its partnership with RENOLIT, new RENOLIT finishing films are tested at the ProfilDoors facility before their release.
Time-Sensitive Installation
The process and timing of door installation also offers advantages on the job site. Because this European product arrives from the factory fully finished, it is installed near the end of the project before the final coat of paint on the walls.
“This eliminates the need for repairs, keeping paint on-site or actually painting doors, because most of the construction is already done,” Jeltychev explains. “It’s peace of mind. And, it results in a much better finish and a higher-quality product.”
Foti shares that feedback from contractors has been positive. “They say that our product was a lot easier to install and made the project flow smoother. And obviously, once the marketing photographs come into play, you can see the doors enhance everybody’s hard work.”
Tangible Impact
Many clients have credited the company’s door solutions with clearly contributing to the success of their projects.
“A few of our clients have said that our doors made their project what it is,” Foti says. “We’ve gotten compliments like ‘Your doors were the No. 1 thing that helped me sell the house.’ That’s what I’ve heard countless times.”
The same applies to builders of high-end condos or luxury rental units who must make them appealing to residents.
“If each unit has better product in it—not only how it looks, but also how it functions or solves a problem—builders can sell them for a much higher price and far faster,” Jeltychev adds. “And that gives them a clear edge over the competition on the next block.”
Problem-Solving Partners
Foti and Jeltychev encourage clients to involve them in projects early on, ideally during the design stages. At that point, they can best address a challenge with a unique solution that is within budget and deliver it exactly when it’s needed on the job site. With pictures of what the client has to work with, they can offer ideas on what would work and be most beneficial.
“Architects and builders’ designers don’t know the products like we do, so we can provide solutions for things they may not be able to find on the market—or even know they needed,” Foti explains.
Sometimes an issue arises on a project after a specific product has already been designed in, whether it’s a matter of function or a door selection that doesn’t represent the right aesthetic. In these cases, they can recommend a solution spanning the door design, the hinges and the locking hardware as needed.
For example, on a recent multifamily project, the door was designed very close to the corner in a narrow hallway, and the builder wrestled with how to properly address each of these openings.
“The standard door would block the walkway, but we have a system that actually folds and opens all the way back to the wall, which frees the walkway while providing the proper door function,” he relates. “It’s a really special design not manufactured anywhere in the U.S., but we were able to recommend that solution and the project builder was really happy with it.”
Enhancing Stock and Service
The company’s warehouse in Milpitas receives finished products from overseas for both client projects and to provide an on-hand stock of doors that can be supplied quickly. Although the in-stock products do not span all of the company’s offerings, the warehouse currently houses a robust selection of options. It also provides flexibility and convenience for customers by holding product for client orders in cases where the project is not ready to accept the goods.
To keep pace with the company’s strong growth, plans are underway to further enlarge the Milpitas warehouse and increase staff. This will enable it to expand the in-stock program and offer additional, readily available products for all types of projects.
Positive Contributions
ProfilDoors-USA is fueled by abundant positive energy and focused on seeing the solutions it brings to the industry deliver genuine value.
Foti relates that some clients have searched coast-to-coast for a specific product, but haven’t been able to find it. Others are unaware of solutions that already exist—or that can be custom-tailored for the specific situation.
“There might be something a client generally has in mind when they come in and consult with us,” he says. “But then we take it to an entirely new level of expectation. The statement we hear most is ‘Wow!’ “
“We’ve had countless projects where contractors and designers have thanked us profusely afterward for our input. We’ve been able to help them because we care about their projects and are invested in what we do,” he asserts. “When a customer is excited because they received that level of service and a product they couldn’t find anywhere else, it’s energizing—and confirmation that we are making a difference.”