Bernhard Schropp, Airport Engineer, stands in front of his hangar which contains a Schweiss Bifold door installed by Prestige General Contractors.
Most every contractor at heart wants to do the best job for their customer. Sometimes that means going above and beyond the call and at other times being able to offer the best product for them.
Steve Stuempfle, owner of Prestige General Contractors has been working as a bonded general contractor out of Cargill, Ontario since 1996. With over 17 years of experience owning Prestige General Contractors, he has served his customers well. He worked for another contractor for 10 years prior to starting his business as a licensed carpenter and salesman.
Prestige General Contractors recently became a Canadian authorized dealer and installer of Schweiss Hydraulic and Bifold Doors. Steve was on the lookout for a better bifold or hydraulic door he could offer his customers. Being in an agricultural area and with many pilots dotting the landscape he has quite a few calls to put these type of doors on their structures.
"I found out about Schweiss Doors about four years ago at a large U.S. farm show. The guy I talked to at the Schweiss display was very knowledgeable and great to talk to," said Stuempfle.
It was an easy choice for him. Over the years his company has dealt with two other door manufacturers in Canada, and he wasn't at all pleased with what he called an inferior product line.
"They don't offer lift straps, they are all cables. The quality of their product isn't what Schweiss is. They put a leg on their doors for extra height. Schweiss doors don't need that," explained Stuempfle.
Schweiss Doors lives up to its reputation, or they wouldn't be on my buildings, and I'm very happy with the patented Schweiss liftstraps and the new powerful "Red Power" hydraulic pumps with spherical bearings, nobody else has them on their doors. We can sell the whole package, building and doors," stressed Stuempfle.
"I was at the Schweiss factory last July. What impressed me with Mike Schweiss was that he dressed like anyone else, he's a down-to-earth person. I was also impressed with his manufacturing; everything at his factory is tidy, neat and very organized. That's the way I work! When we put our orders in, Julie, Brook, Brent and Jeremy are awesome. They know what questions to ask and they can answer everything I ask; the doors are always delivered on time."
Safety was another factor for Stuempfle choosing Schweiss Doors.
"The other guys have no safety shields on their doors, explained Stuempfle. That's another thing that really impressed me about Schweiss doors. Everything you can get caught in is shielded. I've been in business for 17 years and have not lost a day yet because somebody got hurt."
Prestige General Contractors has grown tremendously over the years, they now employ 15 full-time workers all year round. Their employees include licensed carpenters, apprentices and labourers and they strongly support apprenticeships. Steve says he will have to expand and add more employees now that he has picked up the Schweiss Door line. They are also getting added business to replace competitor doors with Schweiss doors.
"All our workers are fully trained and knowledgeable in the products we use in construction," added Stuempfle.
Steve's brother, Kent, has been an asset to the company. He has been a supervisor/foreman since the beginning. Sherry Cameron is the office manager and looks after all the office duties. When you call Prestige General Contractors, she will be the first person you talk to, and she is knowledgeable on Schweiss doors.
Stuempfle and Prestige General Contractors, being part of the agricultural industry, can see a huge demand for these doors. They have used Schweiss doors in the aviation industry, but can see a great potential for them in the agricultural industry as well.
Stuempfle said he is ready to cover Ontario from one end to the other if a customer needs help or installation. In addition to selling and installing Schweiss Hydraulic and Bifold doors, he has now set up maintenance/service agreements with many other Schweiss door owners who are finding out he has a connection with Schweiss Doors. He visits them once a year to see if there is anything they need.
"We can sell a lot of doors around here in Ontario, because we are really well known. But I expect that to expand tremendously once the word gets out even more that I now handle Schweiss doors," said Stuempfle.
His work varies. He has constructed many buildings for different purposes; agricultural, commercial sheds, airplane hangars, houses and cottages. In addition to that he does renovations, additions to existing buildings, excavating and landscaping. Canadian winters also have him doing snow removal, he's a busy guy.
Stuempfle is pleased that the Schweiss door line has also helped sell his buildings, it's been working out hand-in-hand. He said they are set up to offer a complete package on all Schweiss doors being sold in Canada. He takes all the pain out of ordering a door and will make it easy for the customer. Everything is figured in, including taxes, tariffs and exchange rates; and Prestige General Contractors deals with the Canadian Border Customs. This saves the customer time, money and paperwork.
Prestige General Contractors is proud to offer the Schweiss Advantage to customers, covering Ontario from end-to-end, selling and installing Schweiss doors! They are a member of the Canadian Farm Builder's Association and a Tarion Warranty Corporation Registered Builder.
Call Steve, Kent or Sherry at 519-366-9986, by email at info@prestigecontracting.ca for more information, or for a quote. Their website is: www.prestigecontracting.ca, which has a link to Schweiss Doors.
Prestige Contractors of Canada is newest Schweiss Doors distributer
Most every contractor at heart wants to do the best job for their customer. Sometimes that means going above and beyond the call and at other times being able to offer the best product for them. |
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Large Schweiss Bifold Liftstrap door perfectly fits farmshop needs
There's nothing cheap about building anymore but this project turned out wonderfully. The Schweiss door fits perfectly. We dressed up the shop and office area with some window shutter trim. Structural Building out of Becker, MN was the contractor and they did a great job |
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Inadequate experience with another company leads farmer to Schweiss Doors
It was a 70 ft. hydraulic door, very lightly built, it came in two sections that didn't meet together when they put it together. It showed up bent, and when raised it would bend, very poor weld quality, with welds missing in places. It was a piece of crap, I've never seen something so poor, there was no engineering done on it. There was no quality control. |
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Schweiss Red Power Pumps are a jump above the rest
Jumping over the best |
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RiverEdge Park & Music Garden orders Schweiss Doors for new Illinois project
RiverEdge Park and Music Garden is a venue that not many people in the United States have heard of yet, but they will. It is becoming the centerpiece in a 10-year master plan for the city of Aurora, Illinois, that state's second largest city with a population of close to 200,000 people, making it the 112th largest city in the United States. Aurora is located about 45 miles west of Chicago and is accessible by commuter train from there. |
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Schweiss has truckloads of top quality doors leaving the factory each week
Since Introducing "Red Power" Hydraulic Doors to the market this Spring, sales of Schweiss Hydraulic Doors have escalated, and as a result truckload-after-truckload of ready to assemble doors have been moving out to destinations within all corners of the United States and other locations around the globe. |
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Sharp looking farm shop features office space and large hydraulic door
This eye catching farm shop is indeed a beautiful facility. All four exterior steel walls are white, however red is the accent color around the edges of this big hydraulic door, all windows in the door, plus other access doors into this incredible building. |
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Taxi-through hangar speeds crop work for big time spraying operation
Twenty-seven years as an aerial applicator provides an historical perspective each spring for Rich Sigurdson, Olivia, MN. For cantankerous 2011 he simply responded,"This spring brought in a little more work than normal. This is the latest for putting crops in the ground since I've been in the business. |
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Huge Army tanks and track vehicles pass through Ft. Carson liftstrap bifold doors
Getting 146 doors installed at one location speaks rather strongly about the quality and reliability of your door provider. But that's the current scorecard of Schweiss BiFold doors at Fort Carson, Colorado (Colorado Springs) where Mortenson Construction (Denver branch) has an ongoing contract with the U.S. Army for the construction of special heated maintenance shops called TEMFs (Tactical Equipment Maintenance Facilities). This means structures big enough for Army tanks and other special military tactical vehicles. |
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Electrical engineer researches and chooses 40 ft. Hydraulic Hangar Door
I researched over a year what I wanted to do. I met Dave Schweiss at the Florida 'Fun in the Sun' air show and both Dave and Mike at the big Oshgosh, WS show. After meeting the guys and looking more closely at their product the choice was obvious. It simply was the best fit, the best design, the best door and in terms of value, the best deal. |
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Fagen WWII museum purchases multiple large Schweiss Liftstrap Bifold Hangar Doors
Here are some shots of Fagen's warbirds. All mighty nice, mint condition airplanes! Just one of many unique planes that will be on display in the New Fagen Museum. It'll be the hot spot in Granite Falls, Minnesota to see some of the most beautiful Flying machines imaginable. |
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Fast opening Schweiss hydraulic heated shop doors were just what this farmer needed
Obviously a guy doesn't spend several thousand dollars for a big hydraulic door because it opens and closes in 37 seconds. But surprisingly 'door speed' is a bit of a factor, at least for Terry Albright, Renville County farmer who also runs a fleet of 'over the road' semi rigs. |
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New 75 ft. Ohio farm shop has Schweiss hydraulic door with special lighting
A slick, new 75' x 80' farm shop with special lighting, in-floor heating, a huge 40' door and a burgundy and beige color scheme is getting all sorts of attention on the farm of John Dulin, Kenton, Ohio. "The contractor that sold me the building has people coming here every week it seems to check out the building and especially that big hydraulic door. So it's a real treat for me and my farming partner son Dana, to show them the works," explained Dulin, who is also maintenance manager for six school buses in their local special education district. |
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Wayzata resident loves his worry free liftstrap garage door conversion
Two bifold doors were on his Wayzata, Minn. home when he and his wife, Nancy, purchased it from a previous owner several years ago. He referred to the doors as "a bonus and attractive feature" and believed the architect chose the bifold style of doors for aesthetic reasons. |
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Carriage House helicopter hangar is very likely the most unique in America!
The Carriage House on the lakeshore property of Sid Morris, Cornelius, NC is very likely the most unique in America! It doesn't house horses and horse buggies. It doesn't house antique autos. Instead it houses his R44 helicopter. And that chopper gets to the Carriage House by first landing on a helio pad on the end of his 200' dock. A small electrically driven dolly then gently lifts the chopper with operator then guiding the chopper to its proper stall inside this remarkable 4-star carriage house. |
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Artists architectural glass door was perfect for Martha's Vineyard studio and guest house
At 27 years of age, film maker/artist/author Travis Wood appears to be adding architectural design to his intriguing resume. Evidence of this new dimension is a most unique structure, a combination studio/guest house that he and his father are constructing on their vacation property on Martha's Vineyard, hugging the south shore of Massachusetts. |
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Funky Brooklyn Store Front Perforated Steel Bifold Doors add touch of class and security
Hugging the southwest corner of Long Island, New York, Brooklyn's earlier identity was mostly hitched to Coney Island beach and the Brooklyn Dodgers of baseball immortality. Today the city is enjoying a renaissance of rediscovery by artists, retailers, ambitious contractors and creative landscapers including the Andre Kikoski Architect firm which just wrapped up the complete renovation of two empty, abandoned warehouse buildings on 22-28 Wyckoff Ave. |
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Multiple stores and doors are key to Arnold Company farm implement business expansion
Consolidation is that aggressive word which has been enveloping agricultural business for several years now. In simple terms, it results in fewer but bigger. And that certainly is the recent history of the farm implement business, which used to pride itself on having eight, 10, even 12 or more dealerships per county. Today three or four farm equipment dealers per county is more the usual. But ownership of farm implement stores today often includes multiple locations throughout an entire state. |
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Former Alaskan has Bifold hangar doors for fishing and flying from private airstrip
Flying since he got the bug when working the fishing canaries in Alaska, Eric Hutchins, Grand Rapids, MN, has a rather diversified agenda these days. For example he runs a year-round Dairy Queen in this bustling tourist center town. He also does some part-time law enforcement work and occasionally flies fire detection with the MN DNR. When time permits, high on his agenda is getting together with his snowmobile buddies for a few miles through the beautiful lake and woodland country of Itasca County. |
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Large 108 ft. Schweiss Bifold Strap Door is finishing touch for hangar renovation
In September of 2009, we started the rehabilitation of Hanger 155 at Chippewa County International Airport in Kincheloe, MI. Our first step was to remove 60 years worth of lead paint from the existing steel substructure and miles of asbestos-containing material. When the building was safe to work in, our demolition subcontractor started on the roof system. |
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Midwest John Deere dealership and store installs a Schweiss One-Piece Door
It's big, 43,500 square feet. It has a special floral display unit out front courtesy of the employees and the general contractor. You walk into an 'eye catching' 100' x 160' 'Consumer Display' section complete with a 10' high shelf showcasing various John Deere 'consumer goods'. And greeting you at the retail counter is a colorful prairie scene with an old country barn, woodlots, fields of corn and wheat plus a depiction of the original 1-bottom plow that launched the John Deere machinery company. A show place of sorts? Yes, indeed. |
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Classic Florida hangar home Schweiss wall/porch door is drawing national attention
Well, it's all of the above for 62-year-old Daniel Shaw, a plumbing contractor at Geneva, Fla. Who has given new meaning to the term "hangar home." The structure is 50' wide x 60' deep x 30' tall, all metal/ However, a 45' x 15' Schweiss hydraulic door sporting a wrap-around porch with decorator railing, table and chairs, a "walk through" door with stylish window, and veranda "roof" gets your attention. |
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Schweiss doors open things up at the Renville County Fair
Schweiss Hydraulic and Bifold Doors recently installed four new hydraulic doors at the Renville County Fairgrounds located in Bird Island, MN. The Renville County Board approached Schweiss looking for a way to open up the event building located at the county's fairgrounds. The event building is used to host live bands, beer gardens and public auctions by Henslin Auction Services. Hydraulic doors seemed like the perfect solution to open up the building and allow easy access to the building for large groups of people. |
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Minnesota Implement dealership spike in business calls for new facility liftstrap bifold doors
We're no longer just selling iron. Today we're selling precision farming products and that requires special training of both our personnel and our farm customers," says Paal Haug, general manager of Haug Implement with stores at Willmar and Litchfield |
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Radiation-shielded Bifold Door designed specially for industrial x-ray system firm
The creativity of customers continues to be a driving force for many manufacturers. Take for example North Star Imaging, Inc., a Rogers, Minnesota manufacturer of industrial x-ray systems which are enclosed by a radiation shielding cabinet and access door and used by manufacturing firms in the aerospace, military, automotive, medical device, electronics, even the genetic seed industry and many more. |
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Stylish North Carolina Target store Bifold gates serve dual purposes
How do you make the loading dock area for your store secure, yet still easily accessible and stylish? This Target store in North Carolina found the answer with two 39' x 17' bifold gates for their loading area. Give us your idea and we will get you the door. |
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Unique Schweiss Bifold roof-door designed for East Coast sandblasting chamber
What looked like a near impossible situation without some totally new engineering design instead turned out to be a remarkable solution to an extreme challenge. The challenge? How to fit a "roof door" over a 20' by 30' sandblasting chamber used by SMS Millcraft, Oil City, PA. This firm specializes in refurbishing component parts for various Pennsylvania steel mills. |
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Farm Air spraying operation relocates and builds new hangar with 76 ft. hydraulic door
It is rare that an Air Tractor dealership changes hands. It cant be done without an approval from Air Tractor, Inc. This requirement became all too apparent to Bill Taylor of Farm Air in Fairfield Illinois. Bill was starting to think about retiring from the business he formed in 1976. Shortly after forming Farm Air, Bill saw a need for Air Tractors in the Midwest, and approached Air Tractor about becoming a dealer. Over thirty successful years later, Bill decided it was time to sell Farm Air with its Air Tractor dealership intact. |
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TGIF puts custom-made Schweiss Bifold glass doors on patio bar
This custom set of Schweiss Bifold Doors was the perfect solution to provide a unique dining experience for this restaurant's patio bar customers. |