Bait & Switch - Marks USA Vs Von Duprin

Marks USA is part of Napco Security, who also owns Alarm Lock and Continental Access as well as selling under the Napco brand for alarms.  They are not a 'fly-by-night' or new player.

The 'Marks' name is not better recognized because for a long time the company primarily contract manufactured or private-labeled door hardware for other companies.

However, they were engaged in that business for a number of decades, and they generally offer offsets meeting the same product specifications as Allegion (Von Duprin) or Assa.

Marks USA makes excellent products and offers a numbers of specialty items not available from other manufacturers. That being said, I personally wouldn't consider Marks exit devices to be an equal to Von Duprin exit devices. Von Duprin exit devices are far more widely used and better supported, and in my opinion, are the de facto standard for quality exit devices.

Von Duprin makes a narrow stile exit device (model 33/35) that should fit most storefront doors. I would be surprised if the Marks narrow style device is any smaller.

In the past Von Duprin has been a lot more expensive for an opening of the type you describe. With that being said with the QEL "Quiet Electronic Latch" they have implemented into their exit devices the price per opening has come down especially if you don't use their power supply. If their is an access control system in place then you can use their distributed power supply thus keeping the cost of the opening down. Sure Von Duprin is still more expensive than most but not sure if you can get much better durability for exit devices than Von Duprin. Personally I would make the locksmith change out the parts if he can't give actual proof. The VD Model 33 will install on a door from as small as 1 3/4" which I looks like the equivalent of the Marks 8800 series. Hard to tell as their documentation is not very detailed. 

This does not answer your question, but I would like to take this back to the procurement. When you say you specified Von Duprin, did you state no acceptable alternates? Did you define acceptable alternates? Were submittals required and if so, what did they submit on?

For me, I like SDC electrification more than Von Duprin's. It is very common for us to use a Von Duprin panic and SDC electrification. However if there is a hard specs that says all parts need to be from the same manufacture then that is what we will do, even if we think it's not the best move.  

I would not put Marks equal to Von Duprin. However that is more of an opinon than fact. The locksmith will likely come back and say that they are both "Grade 1" and possible have the similar warranty and so on. 

Thank you all for your responses. A lot of good insights here. It sounds like the common consensus is that Marks is a decent brand.

Having worked with both products, I’m curious which Von Duprin product did you spec? 33 is for narrow stile doors, 98/99 for medium or wide stile doors. 

Marks is is a solid manufacturer as is SDC. We use SDC solenoids wherever possible due to cost and power requirements. Of the top of my head I think the SDC solenoid is 1.5 amp in rush at 24 VDC and the Von Duprin is 15amp in rush at 24 VDC! 

So you can power the SDC kit with a decent Altronix power supply and forgo the expensive Von Duprin power supply.  It’s roughly a $2000 difference between the exit device, solenoid, and power supply between VD and Marks with SDC. The SDC kit is much quieter too. 

In most of our installs we will propose VD if it is a school or hospital. Or if the building already has VD in it so they can maintain a parts inventory.  

Long story short, they probably subbed Marks due to cost. Be happy they didn’t use Cal Royal or one of the other import brands (LSDA, US Lock, Tell). Hope it all works out in the end! 

http://www.marksusa.com/products/lifetime-mechanical-warranty/