By Julie Gedeon
Many elegant homes, luxurious hotels, fine-dining establishments, and posh retail outlets now welcome their guests through the rich and timeless beauty of entryways crafted by the Doorland Group in Woodbridge, Ontario. Celebrating 45 years, this family enterprise has clients across North America, the Caribbean, Europe, Saudi Arabia, and China.
Elio Granzotto started it all shortly after immigrating from Italy. “My father was 19 with no money, so he put his skills as a trained sculptor to making furniture and cabinetry,” relates his son, Andrea Granzotto, the company’s president. His father’s initial door project in 1978 led to architects and homebuilders commissioning him to make other entryways, and Elio launched Doorland a year later at age 25. Elio’s wife, Vivian, helped with the business after they married, and over the years, all four sons—Andrea, Bruno, Daniel, and Sergio—worked in the shop when they weren’t in school. “I had no intention of being here full-time,” Andrea admits, “but when I returned with my university accounting degree, I realized how much I enjoy the manufacturing aspect and dealing with people.” Now at Doorland for 20 years, Andrea regards genuinely listening to each client’s requirements as essential as the quality of products. “It makes me so happy when clients light up seeing how we brought their vision to life.”
“WE CONTINUE TO SELL PRODUCTS THAT MAKE A STATEMENT THE WAY THAT QUALITY FURNITURE DOES AND …. WE DO SO WITH LASTING CRAFTSMANSHIP.”
Sergio also works at Doorland, as Daniel had until his unexpected death in 2015. In Daniel’s memory, Doorland has raised significant funds for the Sunnybrook Foundation for prostate health. At 70, Elio remains actively involved. “His ability to do anything and everything really helps us to strategize well,” Andrea says. Elio makes sure the passion and integrity that fueled his start remain integral. “What’s most important to my father, and to my mother, is that we continue to sell products that make a statement the way that quality furniture does and that we do so with lasting craftsmanship,” Andrea says. Being responsive to client needs is another key value, which includes problem solving. “We recently had a Caribbean client who forgot to order a number of doors for a hotel that was set to open within the month,” Andrea says. “We started the order the next day and delivered on time.”
Committed to sustainability, Doorland contributes to tree-planting initiatives. The company’s dust/debris collector keeps the air clean and gathers material for particleboard and farm-stall flooring. Of course, it’s the atmosphere that Doorland products create that is appreciated foremost. They make a home luxurious, even stately, or a hotel welcoming. “For a restaurant, we also want something inviting but maybe with a bit of edge to it,” Andrea adds. “We incorporate glass, metals, and even fabrics to achieve the desired look.” Doorland’s attention to detail, quality, sustainability, and innovative beauty has opened doors for the company around the world.