Trellidor is a proudly South African company that has stood the test of time. Since 1976 we have stayed true to our mission to keep people safe at home and work with innovative products and world-class service. And we’re proud to have persisted with our goal of ‘no compromise when it comes to safety’ for our customers. Here is the Trellidor story, from our strong foundations to modern designs for an ever-changing world.
Strong Foundations
Our journey began in Durban when our founder, Leon Pallas, and a partner started a metal powder coating business. Among the products they coated were swing gates, popular for access control and security at that time.
During the early 1980’s they went into manufacturing with a new sliding security gate design. It was a novel idea that came from a Durban tool maker who used old-style concertina lift cages as inspiration. The company name was changed to ‘Trellidor’ as it perfectly described this new design. It had upright bars connected with a metal trellis pattern and folded to the side to open.
This was the birth of the Trellidor brand as we know it. Little did they know that over time it would become one of the most iconic South African security barrier brands. We’ve stayed true to our roots, however, because high quality powder coating is still a priority today. Trellidor has invested millions of Rands in state-of-the-art powder coating processes to create the smooth, corrosion resistant, long-lasting surfaces our products are known for.
Adapting to Change
For many years the sliding gate was the only type of security barrier the company manufactured. The inspired internal construction of the early design has remained a constant. But much innovation has gone into strengthening other aspects of the gates as new technologies have become available and crime levels have increased.
Locks are a good example of innovations applied to meet the needs of the time. Multi-point dead locks were introduced during the 1980’s. As locks became more sophisticated to combat break-ins, so Trellidor locks were upgraded to keep up to date with these technologies. Today our locks are tamper-proof, lock in several places inside the lock stile, and have unique computer-cut keys to prevent cloning.
Innovation continued in the 1990’s with the introduction of internationally certified Trellidor sliding gates. These were developed by the design team to meet the demands of the growing international market, particularly in the United Kingdom.
The requirements in this more commercial overseas market were for sliding security gates that could perform to the highest strength and safety standards under extreme conditions. The testing of these designs is highly professional. Testers use the same tools and techniques used by criminals.
We invested in this expensive development and testing process and achieved a rare ISO quality standards listing through the London-based Loss Prevention Certification Board. To date, Trellidor is still the only South African security barrier manufacturer to have achieved this approval. Today we have three sliding gate models with this highly sought after international certification.
For South Africans who don’t need a specialised, ultra-strong security gate there are still benefits to the testing process. The lessons we’ve learned through preparing our products for testing have been applied to the rest of our security barrier range. This ensures that our customers purchase the strongest security barrier models available for their budget.
Key Milestones
Trellidor has survived and thrived through many changes over almost 50 years in business. A flooded factory in the early years. A major fire in the production plant in 2013. Violent strikes the same year. And the immense changes brought about by the restrictions of the Covid pandemic in 2020.
The acquisition of related businesses lead to the relocation of an entire roller shutter production plant from Johannesburg to Durban in 2010. This was followed by the expansion of the Durban plant into adjacent premises after a multi-million Rand renovation to accommodate new product lines. And in 2015 a successful listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange took Trellidor from being a privately owned company to a public one.
Customer satisfaction has always been a major focus and is the reason that people turn to our company time and time again for their security barriers. From our small, localised beginnings we appointed local and international distributors in the 1990’s, followed by regional branches in SA.
Full countrywide franchises were a feature of the 2000’s and still are today. The purpose is to ensure that customers get the benefit of quick, professional service from people with local knowledge. Search for ‘trellidor near me’ and you’ll find we’re close by no matter where you are in the country.
Innovation with Purpose
Sliding trellis-style security gates for doors and windows are our signature product. But changes in home building and décor trends have lead to the design of new products to suit contemporary lifestyles. Trellis gates are still our best sellers for door and window protection, but these new products are proving to be popular.
Stainless steel mesh Clear Guard security screens were developed by Trellidor and a screen specialist partner. Introduced to the SA market in 2010 they proved to be perfect for our local climate and way of life. Customers love the fact that it doesn’t look anything like traditional security barriers and that it is see-through. The screens help to shield interiors from excessive heat and wind while allowing fresh air to flow inside.
That same year we brought the Rollerstyle range into our factory. These aluminium roller shutters are ideal for internal installations as they are slimline and lightweight but very strong under attack. They are one of the top selling doors for passages and staircases, creating a safe zone in the home for a peaceful night’s sleep. They have also found traction in the commercial market, particularly national chains with well-designed shop interiors.
We launched our louvre shutter designs in 2016 as a result of customer interest in louvres that could also provide a high level of protection against crime. Our version of this popular style is clean lined with no external rods or other clutter. We’ve since added a budget-friendly version to cater for the many people living in secure estates where there is external security.
Other new developments include a framed polycarbonate design that keeps monkeys out of homes. It is at the opposite end of the strength spectrum to our perennial Cottage Guard design but definitely has a place in our burglar bar collection.
Designing the Future
Product innovation and improvement continues at Trellidor in this new era. We’ll continue to create new designs to suit changing ways of life. But like companies all over the world, change is often in the digital space. One example of this is our online ordering system. Our sales consultants can share images of our products in real homes and quickly provide quotes on several different products for the same openings.
Today the challenges are often economic ones and Trellidor has a solution for this too. We offer several financing options for customers so that they can get the security they need to keep their families safe at home. One of these options is a six month interest free loan – an offering as unique as our company.
We plan to continue the Trellidor legacy into the future through door and window products that meet the needs and styles of the time. Our strong foundations will always be an influence because supplying high quality products and world-class service never go out of style.
