1955 – Gene Renner works as a commissioned salesman for Dierks Lumber Company in Kansas City. Dierks begins selling Ro-Way garage doors by Rowe Mfg. Co. of Galesburg, IL.
1956 – Gene partners with his father, Elmer Renner, to sell garage 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’s 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 of Birmingham, MI, and creates Delden Mfg. Co, 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 8×7 wood 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 doors. Renner is elected president of the National Association of Garage Door Manufacturers (NAGDM).
1981 – Delden opens Delden 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. 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’s 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. Delden builds all doors with premium components, from entry-level doors to high-end.
2000 – Delden builds a new plant in Kansas City with 84,000 square feet of room.
2003 – Gene Renner retires. His daughter, Denise, 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 remains open to new ideas and more efficient strategies to keep Delden Mfg. a staple in the Midwest.
2014 – Delden celebrates 50 years!
2016 – Renner Supply celebrates 60 years, Gene Renner passes away at the age of 88.
2017 – Delden announces expansion of “Your Home Your Design” custom collection with the DeltrimTM line of steel overlay doors.
2018 – Renner Supply Company Re-Brands as “Renner Garage Door”
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-StockTM custom packaged program.
2024 – Delden celebrates 60 years!
Today, Delden has 125 employees and four branches throughout the Midwest, including Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield and Central MO. All branches are accompanied by Renner Garage Door installation divisions. Gene Renner always credited his success to his earlier management team and expressed confidence that Delden has a strong management team for the future.