Genie

The Genie Company houses some of the most popular garage door openers globally and is recognized for its innovation, affordability, and strong presence in the do-it-yourself market. The company was established in 1923 under the name Alliance Manufacturing Company in Ohio which initially engaged in the manufacture of a wide array of consumer, industrial, and military products before it transitioned to garage door technology.

In 1954, Genie launched its very first garage door opener under the brand name ‘Genie’ which then became the first radio-controlled mass-produced residential garage door opener. This innovation essentially set the part of what the modern garage door opener industry would look like and proved the company an essential partner in the automation and convenience lead. In 1958, the company again made another leap to its engineering and introduced the first screw-drive type garage door opener which was one of its signature systems for decades due to its strength and relatively simple mechanics.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Genie penetrated the market by selling its products through various major retailers, capitalizing on the growing trend of do-it-yourself (DIY) systems. This made the brand among the easiest for homeowners to access, being able to purchase a reliable system and set it up without professional help.

In 1994, Genie was acquired by Overhead Door Corporation which is also a major player in the commercial operator and garage door industry. This transaction lead to the strengthening of Genie in Engineering capabilities, expansion of distribution, and led the brand to become part of a key solution within the wider portfolio of access statements.

The company has also continued to innovate with various proprietary technologies such as the Intellicode security system that changes the access code with each use to prevent unauthorized access and the Safe-T-Beam system that comes with infrared technology and prevents the door from closing whenever it detects an obstruction.

The company to date has developed a wide range of garage-door opener models across several drive types. Among the popular residential models, the company has the Chain Drive 500 which is both budget-friendly and extremely durable, the SilentMax 750 that uses the belt-drive mechanism for quiet operations, and the StealthDrive Connect which is referred to as the smart opener since it comes with its own battery unit and can connect over a WiFi compatible system.

The company also has screw-drive types such as the MachForce series which has very high lifting power with very fast operation and the wall-mount types such as Genie 6170H-B which is designed for space-saving purposes.

All its products are ever known to be easy to install, affordable, and very performance reliable. Even so, the company still markets itself as a consumer-friendly alternative and not professional grade as compared to, for instance, the LifMaster brand. It however does so by providing modern features, smart-home integration, and very dependable equipment at no extra charge.

In summary, Genie remains one of the few household names in the garage-door opener industry and carries along with several decades’ worth of solid reputation against other competitive, professionally produced alternatives.