What EMS Group does

EMS Group, Inc. is a privately held American manufacturer and installer of freight elevator doors, founded in 1987 in St. Louis, Missouri by Wayne Bené, originally as Engineered Manufacturing Services Group. The firm designs, manufactures, and distributes freight elevator doors in vertical bi-parting, slide-up, and 1/3-2/3 configurations; car gates; freight cabs; fire-rated entrance frames (UL 10B labeled); replacement parts; and its proprietary Eclips closed-loop door control system—a patent-pending microprocessor-based feedback technology first introduced to the freight door industry in 2002. Operations run from a 91,000 square foot manufacturing facility in St. Louis that includes in-house control testing and powder-coat finishing capability, supported by a technical team with more than 250 combined years of freight elevator door experience.

The company sells exclusively B2B through a direct-sales channel combining a dedicated sales team (Regional Sales & Strategic Accounts Manager, National Sales Manager), online quote-request workflows with quoted turnaround under eight business hours, and trade-show presence at industry events including NAEC, ECNY, CECA Calgary, and the Wisconsin Elevator Symposium. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific, with each engagement requiring a detailed engineering survey; no public pricing exists. Revenue streams include hardware sales across the door, gate, cab, control, and entrance-frame lines, plus a recurring aftermarket in Eclips/C and Eclips/P modernization packages and replacement parts. Customer segments span six verticals—automotive (Tesla Gigafactory Reno, BMW Factory Zentrum North Carolina), petroleum (Conoco-Phillips Pasadena), food processing (AB St. Louis, FDA-compliant stainless), medical, retail (Penn Square Mall Oklahoma), and heavy industrial/manufacturing—alongside persona-based buyers (elevator contractors, architects and engineers, building owners). All activity operates domestically within the United States, with Canada appearing as an adjacent event-marketing geography.

Name

EMS Group

Legal name

EMS Group, Inc.

Website

https://emsdoors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EMS Group is a privately held St. Louis-based manufacturer of freight elevator doors, gates, cabs, and its patent-pending Eclips closed-loop door control system, serving elevator contractors and building owners across U.S. automotive, petroleum, medical, food processing, retail, and industrial sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Elevator Door Manufacturing

NAICS

Elevator and Moving Stairway Manufacturing (333921)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569), Metal Doors, Sash, Frames, Moldings & Trim (3442)

akta.pro primary industry

Elevator Modernization & Retrofit (Controllers, Drives, Door Systems) (BPABAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Freight/Service Elevator Service & Maintenance (BPABAIAB), Elevator, Escalator & Lift Maintenance (IMAIABAF)

Keywords

• Freight elevator doors
• Elevator gate systems
• Elevator modernization packages
• Closed-loop door controllers
• Elevator cab manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Freight Elevator Door Sales: Sale of freight elevator doors including vertical bi-parting, 1/3-2/3 bi-parting, slide-up, and compounding upper panel configurations. Products are sold directly to elevator contractors, building owners, and through engineering/specification channels.
2. Gate System Sales: Sale of car gates including one-section, two-section compound, two-section ratio driven, and hidden chain configurations. Gates available in mesh, solid panel, and stainless steel construction.
3. Control System Sales: Sale of Eclips closed-loop door control systems including Eclips/C (control upgrade) and Eclips/P (full power upgrade) packages for modernization of existing freight elevator doors.
4. Freight Cab and Interior Sales: Manufacture and sale of freight cabs and passenger cab interiors. Freight cabs available in painted, stainless steel, or textured metals. Passenger cab interiors feature lightweight, durable panels with customization options.
5. Parts and Replacement Sales: Replacement parts for EMS doors readily available for quick shipment. Complete inventory maintained with turnaround shipping on all EMS freight elevator parts.
6. Entrance Frame Sales: Integral fire rated structural entrance framing and sills bundled with freight door packages. Frames labeled for UL 10B fire rating for masonry, drywall, and metal enclosure hoistway constructions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

EMS Group manufactures and sells freight elevator door systems, including vertical bi-parting doors, slide-up doors, gates, freight cabs, and the proprietary Eclips closed-loop door controller. Products are sold to elevator contractors, building owners, and specifying professionals for new construction, retrofit, and modernization projects, with custom engineering and quote-based pricing for each project. The company also provides pre-engineered modernization packages (Eclips/C and Eclips/P), entrance framing, replacement parts, and technical service and repair support.

Product overview

EMS Group (Engineered Manufacturing Services Group) offers a comprehensive product portfolio centered on freight elevator doors, gates, and related components. The core product line includes Doors (Vertical Bi-Parting, Slide Up, and Compounding configurations for power and manual operation), Gates (One-Section and Two-Section designs including Hidden Chain variants), Freight Cabs, and the proprietary eclips Controls system featuring closed-loop door controller technology. These are complemented by Passenger Cab Interiors for customization, Entrance Frames for fire-rated installations, Mod Packages (Eclips/C and Eclips/P) for modernization upgrades, Parts for replacement needs, and Service & Repair support. The portfolio serves new construction, retrofit, and modernization projects across industries including automotive, petroleum, food processing, medical, retail, and heavy industrial/manufacturing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Eclips: Pre-engineered freight door modernization packages including Eclips/C (control upgrade) and Eclips/P (full motorized upgrade) for existing elevator freight doors.

Products and services

• Freight Elevator Doors Freight elevator doors available in multiple configurations including Vertical Bi-Parting, Vertical Bi-Parting Pass Type, 1/3-2/3 Bi-Parting, 1/3-2/3 Bi-Parting Pass Type, One-Section Slide Up, Two-Section Slide Up, and Two-Section Compounding Upper Panel. Designed for power and manual applications for new construction, retrofit, and modernization projects. Sold to elevator contractors, building owners, and specifying professionals.
• Car Gates Car gates including One-Section Gate, Two-Section Compound Gate, Two-Section Ratio Driven Gate, One-Section Hidden Chain Gate, and Two-Section Hidden Chain Gate. Built with rugged structural steel frames for power and manual mesh gate applications in new construction, retrofit, and modernization projects.
• Freight Cabs Full line of freight cabs for new construction, retrofit, and modernization. Available in painted, stainless steel, or textured metals with customizable configurations including durable flush wall construction, LED lighting, and multiple finish options.
• Passenger Cab Interiors Custom cab interior finishes for passenger elevators featuring lightweight, durable panels with quick installation. Offers customization options including materials, finishes, ceilings, lighting, and handrails in various sizes and styles for commercial passenger elevator applications.
• Eclips Controls (Closed-Loop Door Controller) EMS Eclips closed-loop door controller system featuring patent-pending technology that tracks door position and provides smooth, quiet operation with automatic adjustment capabilities. Operates on input voltages ranging from 208VAC to 600VAC, 3 phase, 50/60 cycle for industrial and commercial freight elevator applications.
• Mod Packages (Eclips/C and Eclips/P Modernization Upgrades) Pre-engineered freight door modernization packages including Eclips/P (full motorized power upgrade with new motors, operators, interlocks, chains, position sensors, and new car gate with light curtains) and Eclips/C (control system upgrade retaining existing door panels and tracks). Compatible with most existing and new elevator controllers.
• Entrance Frames Integral fire-rated structural entrance framing and sills bundled with freight door packages. Available for masonry/brick, drywall, and metal enclosure hoistway constructions. Standard UL 10B fire rating labeling for commercial and industrial freight elevator installations.
• Parts and Replacement Components Replacement parts for EMS doors readily available for quick shipment. Complete inventory maintained with turnaround shipping on all EMS freight elevator parts to support service and repair needs.
• Service & Repair Technical support and maintenance services including complete parts inventory with turnaround shipping. Expert assistance for mechanical issues and Eclips door control support provided by a 250-plus-years-combined-experience technical support team.

Quantifiable outcome

• Customers report 10-15% time saving during installation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• goBRANDgo!minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018EMS engaged marketing agency goBRANDgo! to help refresh their branding after 31 years in business. The agency, led by junior designer Shannon Levin, created a new logo and website design that reflects innovation and sleek design. The new branding was debuted at the ECNY Showcase and NAEC Spring Conference in April 2018.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• TK Elevator: Global elevator OEM and parent of Fermator door systems. Competes broadly with EMS in new installation and modernization of freight elevators across the US market, with captive door manufacturing capability.
• KONE Corporation: One of the four largest global elevator OEMs with a full service and modernization business. While primarily a full elevator OEM, KONE competes with EMS in freight elevator modernization via its door system offerings and service network.
• Wittur Group: Large global supplier of elevator components including doors, door systems, and modernization kits. Broader portfolio and scale than EMS, but directly competes in freight elevator doors and modernization retrofit packages.
• Otis Worldwide: Largest global elevator OEM with a substantial modernization and service business in North America. Competes indirectly with EMS for freight elevator maintenance contracts and door modernization opportunities through its service network.

Direct peers

• Adams Elevator Equipment Company: Specialty manufacturer of freight and passenger elevator doors, gates, and related components. Operates in the same direct-to-elevator-contractor channel and competes head-to-head for spec-in and modernization projects.
• GAL Manufacturing Corporation: Manufacturer of elevator door systems, controllers, and related components including freight elevator equipment. Direct competitor to EMS in door modernization packages and freight door OEM supply.
• Fermator Group: Global manufacturer of elevator doors, landing doors, and freight elevator door systems. Acquired by TK Elevator. Competes with EMS in freight and modernization product lines across multiple geographies.
• Peelle Company: Long-established North American manufacturer of freight and passenger elevator doors and gates. Closely comparable product line and serves the same elevator contractor and modernization channel as EMS.
• C.J. Anderson & Company: Specialty elevator door, gate, and entrance frame manufacturer serving both freight and passenger elevator applications. Comparable channel (B2B elevator contractors) and product overlap in doors and gates.
• Hauer Industries: Manufacturer of elevator gates, doors, and freight elevator equipment. Comparable product portfolio with a focus on elevator car gates and freight elevator doors sold through elevator contractors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ems-group-inc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EMS Group