Founded in 1906, Knells has a proud history as one of the longest standing businesses in Kitchener, Ontario. Over the next 100 years, the company opened several locations operating a retail hardware store and plumbing and heating supply business and a contracting division. Their product offering expanded dramatically in 2000, with the launch of their Door & Hardware division, serving residential homebuilders and commercial contractors in Southern Ontario. The new 38,000 SF design-build corporate office and warehouse facility was designed to amalgamate the company’s various operations under one roof. The Gateman-Milloy design team worked closely with Knell’s user groups to create a facility that was both functional and aesthetically pleasing. The exterior façade was constructed using a curved curtain wall glass system and a textured insulated metal wall panel which has superior insulating properties. The interior consists of a large showroom and sales area on the main floor with support offices on the 2nd floor. The warehouse space includes a large workshop to provide customized fabrication of hollow metal doors, frames, screens and windows for all applications including fire rated requirements.