Mirage Doors: Celebrating 60 years of innovation and local manufacturing

In 1966 a vision was set in motion – the modest beginnings of Mirage Doors would grow over six decades into one of Australia’s most respected manufacturers of commercial and industrial door systems. To mark the company’s 60-year milestone, we revisit key turning-points, enduring values and the future direction as Mirage Doors leverages its heritage and global partnerships to remain ahead of the curve.

Mirage Industries (now Mirage Doors) was incorporated in January 1966 by Les Doughty, a Melbourne based consulting engineer who pioneered the design and manufacture of roller grilles for the protection of glass shopfronts.

In its earliest years, Mirage Doors started with a single product – roller grilles. Over time, the company expanded both its’ product range and geographic reach.

“We started out as a single product company in a single market sector. Through the ensuing years we have continuously added products that have enabled us to provide a broader product range to multiple construction sectors,” explains Neville Griffiths, Specifiers & Major Projects Manager at Mirage Doors, who is approaching his 28th year with the company.

The 1990s saw Mirage established a national presence - moving beyond local markets and becoming a true Australian player in the architectural specification, infrastructure and industrial construction sectors.

DEFINING MILESTONES

Several pivotal moments stand out in Mirage’s evolution:

Mid-1970s: The addition of aluminium roller shutters, enabling the company to respond to large scale shopping centre requirements.

1987: The addition and relaunch of counterweight door systems, broadening our remit into structural doors.

1989: Les Doughty passed away, and ownership of the business went to his sons, Clive and Greg.

1996: The addition of steel roller shutters, marking our entry into industrial markets.

2000: The successful testing of fire-resistant steel roller shutters opened opportunities in multipledwelling developments.

2002: Rebranding our trading name from Mirage Industries to Mirage Doors and introduction of a national specification, sales and marketing program. This greatly strengthened Mirage’s relevance to architects, specifiers and tenderbased builders.

2006 and 2010: New product families such as folding closures and insulated roller shutters expanded functional capabilities.

2014: Acquisition by the AM Group (alongside Austral Monsoon, Ansa Doors and Airport Doors) strengthened our industrial market presence.

2020: Acquisition by the global leader ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems, reinforcing Mirage’s access to global engineering, advanced manufacturing systems and expanded market support.

ABOVE Les Doughty
founded Mirage Doors in Melbourne, January 1966.

The 2020 acquisition by ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems marked a new chapter for Mirage Doors, strengthening the company’s capabilities and expanding its product offering even further. “We have further diversified our product offering so that we can offer a broader range of products to our customers,” says Neville.

“Since the acquisition, we have added rapid roll doors, insulated doors and sectional overhead doors to our product offering,” he adds.

By tapping into our global group’s engineering and market network, Mirage Doors can bundle complementary products and systems from the wider ASSA ABLOY range such as Loading Dock products, Sectional Overhead Doors, High Performance Doors, Mega Doors, Lockwood Locks, Spence Doors, SKIDATA Boom Gate Systems and D & D Technologies into a single works order providing market - leading security and automation systems and participate in larger infrastructure projects; or alternately referring and introducing our clients to our sister companies.

Despite being a part of a global enterprise, Mirage’s roots are firmly planted in local markets and it remains loyal to its local suppliers. “ASSA ABLOY have encouraged us not to lose our local identity, whilst embracing group products and corporate governance obligations,” Neville reflects. This hybrid model – global capabilities, local identity – positions Mirage Doors well for the next era.

As Mirage Doors sets its sights on the next decade, it is embracing the changing built environment. Markets such as smart buildings, automation, sustainability, and integrated building systems are key focus areas. Many Mirage Doors products now link with dock levellers, hoists, fire alarm and security systems. Future iterations will further incorporate ASSA ABLOY’s access security control systems.

Despite being a part of a global enterprise, Mirage’s roots are firmly planted in local markets and it remains loyal to its local suppliers.

“We are very proud to have pioneered an industry sector and to have reached 60 years of continuous operations. We are also thrilled to be safe in the knowledge that we are more relevant than ever to our customers,” says Neville, reflecting on Mirage’s journey.

“With our parent company ASSA ABLOY, we are building on those strengths to provide a broader range of products and services.”

In an industry where durability, specificationcompliance and product performance are nonnegotiable, Mirage Doors stands on six decades of proven delivery excellence – and with the next chapter already in motion.