A Project Story of 55 Fire-Rated 30Min. Doors for a Hospital in Tbilisi, Georgia

1.Introduction

Last summer, an inquiry from Tbilisi, Georgia, presented a significant challenge for our international business team. The customer, a major local pharmaceutical chain, was establishing a small general hospital and urgently required a batch of interior fire-rated wood doors-ranging from single leaf doors for clinic rooms to offset double doors (double-leaf unequal-sized doors) for corridors. Although the order totaled only 55 sets, the technical standards and service complexities involved far exceeded those of a standard project.

2. Process

In the initial communication, the customer harbored inherent skepticism toward our  fire-rated doors, specifically questioning whether the door core material could maintain stable fire resistance at high temperatures and whether the finished doors could pass the rigorous testing required for EU CE certification. Instead of rushing to provide a quote, we compiled a comprehensive technical white paper-rich in visuals and text-detailing our laboratory test reports on graphene fire-resistant cores, combustion test videos, and the CE factory audit process, all translated into English. The customer's stance began to shift when they saw evidence that the graphene-reinforced material maintained structural integrity even when exposed to 1,000°C flames and that smoke density levels were well below European standards. In addition, the customer noticed that our door leaf thickness reaches 46mm, which exceeds the 40mm doors commonly used in their region. This convinced them that our door structure is more stable and durable.

The true turning point came from our deep understanding of the hospital's operational environment. The customer noted that hospital carts and wheelchairs frequently bumped against the bottom of the door leaves; consequently, stainless steel kick plates were required. Crucially, these had to be flush-mounted with no sharp edges to prevent injury to medical staff. We had the stainless steel plates custom-made in size 1mm thickness and 150mm width, and added them to the middle and bottom of the door leaf. Furthermore, to prevent the corridor master-and-slave doors from sagging due to constant opening and closing, the client specified the use of 3D concealed hinges, allowing for adjustment across 6 axes: up/down, left/right, and in/out. While many factories might view such details as "troublesome non-standard requirements," we saw them as a benchmark of professional excellence. Our R&D team worked through the night to modify the internal framework of the door leaf, incorporating a recessed slot for the kickplates. For the hardware, we chose heavy-duty 3D-adjustable invisible hinges-each capable of supporting 40 kg-to ensure the door remains perfectly aligned and sag-free after decades of frequent use. For the single leaf door, of which the door leaf weighs about 55 kg, 3 invisible hinges are used; for the offset double door, of which the 2 door panels weigh about 100 kg, 6 invisible hinges are used.

Next, we moved on to prepare the quotation, including the cost of the testing report. After some negotiation, we agreed to cover a portion of the testing fees for customer. Then the customer paid a 30% deposit promptly, so the order was officially launched finally.

The most daunting challenge was passing the dual CE certification tests for "fire integrity" and "smoke toxicity." We proactively sent samples to the laboratory in Guangzhou, conducting fire resistance tests in strict accordance with the EN 1634-1 standard and supplementing them with an EN 13501-2 smoke classification report. Once the test results were returned and confirmed as passing, and the relevant certificates were obtained, the customer felt a great sense of reassurance.

3. Conclusion

The journey from the initial inquiry to the final order spanned over 150 days. The customer admitted that what truly won him over wasn't just the figures on the certificates, but our meticulous service-specifically, our initiative to pre-install the 3D hinges and record an on-site demonstration video showing how to adjust them. Now, the first batch of 55 door sets has successfully arrived in Tbilisi. Post-installation feedback from the hospital operator has been excellent: the doors operate smoothly with a tight, sound-insulating seal, and the stainless steel kickplates complement the medical-grade crash rails perfectly.

This case reinforces our conviction: high-end overseas markets do not reject "Made in China"; they reject ambiguity and a lack of diligence. We must always identify and understand the customers' pain points, and do everything we can to resolve them for them. By addressing safety fundamentals with graphene fire-resistant cores, resolving structural pain points with stainless steel kick plates and 3D invisible hinges, and honoring international commitments through full CE certification, even small-batch orders can serve as a powerful lever to open up regional markets. If you are also in need of interior doors for medical facilities such as hospitals and clinics, please feel free to contact our factory. We are always online and ready to assist you. Here is our E-mail: trade@omdoor.com