Automatic door manufacturers in China include sliding door system makers, swing door operator suppliers, revolving and rotating door makers, glass entrance fabricators and full entrance system suppliers. An automatic entrance is a door leaf, a frame, an operator, sensors and a control, and each route supplies a different part of that set under the same words “automatic door”.
This guide sorts the supply side into five sourcing routes so a procurement team can send one brief to the right makers and compare the answers fairly. It is not a ranking. No factory is named or scored here, and no claim is made about the safety, fire or accessibility performance of any entrance. The project specification, the designer and the local authority define those requirements, and each maker must show evidence for the exact system it offers. For related products, see our guides to commercial door manufacturers, sliding systems and door and window hardware manufacturers.
What should an automatic entrance brief state?
A brief that says only “automatic glass entrance, hotel lobby” produces quotations that cannot be compared. State at least the following, copied from the architect’s door schedule and the entrance drawings.
- Door type: sliding, swing, folding or revolving, with the door schedule number for each opening.
- Opening size: clear opening width and height for each opening, and the wall or frame it sits in.
- Leaf and glass: leaf material, frame finish and the glass type the designer specifies, written as the designer states it.
- Operating mode: the sensors, push-plate or access control that opens the door, and how the door behaves when power is lost, as the designer or authority requires.
- Fire and escape requirement: whether the entrance forms part of an escape route and what the authority requires of it. This is decided by the project, not the maker.
- Power and controls: supply voltage, the controller location and any link to the building management or access system.
- Finish and colour: the finish reference and approved sample.
- Installation and commissioning: who fits the door, who connects power and who commissions the operator.
- Service: maintenance access, spare parts and who the owner calls after handover.
Five sourcing routes for automatic and revolving doors
1. Automatic sliding door system makers
These makers supply the operator, track, leaves and controls as one system. Ask for the system description, the leaf and frame drawings and the list of sensors and safety devices, and request a working demonstration unit or a video of the exact model operating. Sliding systems are specified by opening size and leaf count, so give both.
2. Swing door operator suppliers
Operators for swing doors are often bought separately from the door leaf. Ask which door weights and widths the operator is designed for, what the mounting needs, and whether the supplier offers the leaf or only the operator. Clarify who is responsible when the two come from different makers.
3. Revolving and rotating door makers
Revolving entrances are made to the building’s plan and are heavier engineered products. Ask for the drawings, the drive and braking description, the glass and canopy details and the installation method. Request a reference list of installed projects of similar size that you can ask the owner about.
4. Glass entrance and frameless door fabricators
Fabricators that cut, toughen and fit glass produce frameless leaves and patch-fitting entrances to a drawing. Ask for the glass description, the fitting and hardware list and a corner sample of the edge finish. See our guide to glass hardware sourcing for the fittings.
5. Full entrance system suppliers
Some suppliers quote the whole entrance: frame, leaves, operator, controls and finishes. This gives one party to coordinate, but ask the supplier to show capability for each part and to quote the operator and the glazing on separate lines, so that a weak component cannot hide in a package price.
For the EU rules on machinery that apply from 14 January 2027, see our reading of Regulation (EU) 2023/1230.
Sourcing this for a commercial project?
FBM Sourcing manages the entire China procurement package for overseas construction projects. We work with Developers · General Contractors · Builders · Commercial Project Owners · Interior Design & Construction Companies · FF&E Solution Providers. Send your BOQ, drawings or product schedule for review.
How to compare automatic door quotations
- What is included: operator, track, leaves, frame, sensors, controller, cabling and finish, in separate columns with the unit stated.
- Opening match: each line tied to a door schedule number, so missing openings show up before the order.
- Safety devices: the sensors and stop devices included, listed by type.
- Power and control: the supply and control interface quoted, and who supplies the cable.
- Finish reference: the frame and glass references quoted, with an approved sample.
- Installation: whether supervision of installation and commissioning is included or excluded.
- Exclusions: anything the maker leaves for others, such as electrical connection or floor preparation.
Documents, samples and acceptance
Ask each maker for the documents the specification and the authority require for the exact system, and keep them with the quotation. Do not accept a general statement of compliance without the document that matches the model and the opening size quoted.
Approve a working demonstration or a mock-up of the operator and a finish sample before bulk production. On delivery, check the parts against the packing list by opening number, note any damage in writing the same day and photograph it. After installation, test the door in each operating mode the specification lists, including loss of power, and record the result.
What evidence to ask each route for
Evidence should be requested for the exact model, not for a product family.
- Sliding system makers: system drawings, the sensor and safety device list and a demonstration unit or video.
- Operator suppliers: the door weight and width range the operator is designed for, and the mounting drawing.
- Revolving door makers: project drawings, drive and braking description and a reference list.
- Glass entrance fabricators: glass description, fittings list and a corner sample.
- Full suppliers: a separate product sheet for operator and glazing, quoted apart from the package.
Specification gaps to close before quotation
Most disputes on automatic entrances come from gaps in the brief. Check that the brief answers these questions.
- Which openings are automatic, and what is the schedule number of each?
- What does the authority require of the entrance in an emergency, and who confirms it?
- What supply voltage and control interface are available at each opening?
- Who fits, connects and commissions the operator?
- What documents must arrive with the goods, and in what language?
- Who services the entrance after handover?
Next steps for an entrance package
Send each maker the same brief and ask for answers in writing, line by line, with samples or documents before bulk production. FBM Sourcing manages China procurement packages for overseas projects; furniture-only packages are also run through FBM Furniture.
Questions buyers ask about automatic doors from China
Who decides the fire and escape requirements for an automatic entrance?
The project specification and the local authority decide them. State the requirement in the brief and ask each maker to confirm in writing what the quoted system does in that situation.
Can the operator and the door leaf come from different makers?
They can, but then the division of responsibility must be written down. Ask which maker confirms that the operator suits the leaf weight and size.
Do we need a demonstration before ordering?
For a new supplier, ask for a working demonstration or a video of the exact model operating, and approve a finish sample before bulk production.
Who installs and commissions the doors?
State this in the brief. Some makers quote supervision only, and others quote full installation, so the quotation must say which.
How does FBM Sourcing support this kind of package?
We review the brief, collect comparable quotations and manage the package for the project. For suppliers you nominate, we charge a 5% commission; for products we source for you, we quote a direct price. Our own team performs one inspection after bulk production is complete and before shipment, and the client’s project team is welcome to attend.
FBM Sourcing manages the entire China procurement package for overseas construction projects. We work with Developers · General Contractors · Builders · Commercial Project Owners · Interior Design & Construction Companies · FF&E Solution Providers.
