The Delden Story

1955 Gene Renner works as a commissioned salesman for Dierks Lumber Company in Kansas City, MO. Dierks begins selling Ro-Way garage doors by Rowe Mfg. Co. of Galesburg, IL.

1956 Gene partners with his father, Elmer Renner, to sell overhead doors as R&R Garage Door. Gene’s wife, Freida Renner, keeps the books. With sales of only $65,000 in his first year, Gene plans to get out of the business.

1957 A destructive tornado in Kansas City spurs many door sales, interrupting Gene’s plans to drop the door business. He changes the company name to Renner Supply, selling builders’ hardware and garage doors, installing Ro-Way and Wagner doors.

1964 Renner buys a Lincoln Door Clamp from Berry Door (Birmingham, MI) and creates Delden Manufacturing Company (Kansas City, MO) with Dick Wright, Harry Link, and Elmer Renner as minority partners. Delden is named for Dee Layne, Dennis and Denise, his three children. With the clamp, Delden can make an 8x7 wood overhead door for less than $30.

1966 Gene and Dick Wright form Renner-Wright Corporation in St. Louis, making garage doors with a Lincoln Door Clamp.

1969 Delden begins producing fiberglass and aluminum garage doors.

1971 Renner-Wright becomes Delden of St. Louis, as Dick Wright sells his share to Renner.

1980 Delden buys a rollformer and begins producing its own commercial steel overhead doors. Renner is elected president of the National Association of Garage Door Manufacturers (NAGDM).

1981 Delden opens Delden Garage Door of Iowa (owned by Dennis Renner, Gene's son).

1982 With Renner as president, Delden, Amarr (Winston-Salem, NC), and Ankmar (Denver, CO) form the Garage Door Group (GDG) to make residential raised panel steel garage doors in Kansas City, MO. GDG buys Roll-Easy Springs of Kansas City.

1986 Elmer Renner dies.

1989 GDG moves to Lawrence, KS, to a plant built and owned by the Brenner family of Amarr.

1991 Renner partners with Rick Vinson to open Delden Mfg. of Illinois, near Joliet.

1992 Gene Renner purchases Harry Link and Dick Wright’s shares of Delden. Renner opens a Delden distribution center in Springfield, MO.

1994 Amarr and Delden buy Ankmar’s share in GDG.

1997 Amarr buys Delden Mfg. of Illinois.

1998 Amarr purchases Delden’s share in GDG. Delden begins buying door sections from Amarr and componentizes the complete door through various vendors. With Delden private labeling Amarr door sections and using all premium components for track, hardware and springs, the "Experience the Quality" branding takes hold.

2000 Delden builds a new plant in Kansas City with 84,000 square feet.

2002 Delden announces the introduction of “Your Home Your Design” custom collection of wood carriage doors.

2003 Gene Renner retires. His daughter, Denise Dahms, becomes president of Delden.

2006 Rick Vinson becomes co-owner for Delden of Iowa. Delden opens Central Missouri distribution center in Camdenton, MO.

2012 Denise Dahms (Gene Renner’s daughter) has continued to fulfill the Delden tradition with customer service, an honest approach and good old fashioned hard work. She has continued to always be looking for new ideas and more efficient strategies to keep Delden Mfg. a staple in the Midwest.

2014 Delden celebrates 50 years!

2016 Delden announces increase of available products and manufacturers. The move provides Delden dealers with additional options for sectional doors, rolling doors, high-performance doors, loading dock equipment and specialty products. Gene Renner passes away at the age of 88.

2017 Delden announces expansion of “Your Home Your Design” custom collection with the Deltrim^TM line of steel overlay doors.

2022 Denise Dahms receives the IDA (International Door Association) Heritage Award recognizing individuals who have contributed to the well-being and heritage of the garage door and access systems industry.

2023 The first boxed garage door is produced out of the Springfield location in February. This was the beginning of Delden's Quick-Stock^TM custom packaged program.

2024 Delden celebrates 60 years!

Today, Delden has 125 employees and four branches throughout the Midwest. Door center locations include Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield and Central Missouri. Gene Renner credited his earlier success to his management team and expressed confidence that Delden has a strong management team for the future. Gene is fondly remembered as the “core of the company."