Decor Grates’ first floor registers were initially cast out of brass, which was a very labor-intensive process. To alleviate this problem, stamping dies were created to produce brass tops, substantially reducing the labor costs associated with cast registers.

Decor Grates began selling wood register designs in 1998, having discovered their growth in popularity. However, the initial design most manufacturers were using was very labour intensive. Decor Grates needed a competitive edge in pricing and design. The company was able to achieve both by purchasing a CNC router. Use of this router system reduced the labour required in the production process and provided Decor Grates with the ability to manufacture both slotted and scroll designs.

In the fall of 2001, Decor Grates began replacing the traditional steel damper boxes used with grates to a plastic version. The new plastic damper boxes were able to offer major advantages that directly influenced productivity and profitability. The purchase cost of plastic boxes was lower per unit than for steel. Plastic damper boxes also required no assembly allowing employees to spend more time finalizing product development – allowing Decor Grates to meet the ever-increasing demand of products. Much needed working capital was also freed up by reducing work in progress, raw materials and damper box components. Decor Grates now has the widest range of decorative design styles for floor registers, including the original ‘Decor Scroll,’ Victorian Scroll, Abstract, Art Deco, Oriental, Slotted, Louvered and Lattice designs. Decor Grates continues to develop new materials, designs and finishes to further expand the variety of products offered to clients.