Bommer Is Gone: What the Shutdown of America's Oldest Spring Hinge Manufacturer Means for Your Next Spec

No. Bommer announced in July 2021 that it would cease builders hardware manufacturing. Spring hinge production at the Landrum and Gaffney, South Carolina plants stopped in summer 2022. The furniture hardware division followed in May 2024. A final closure announcement was posted on bommer.com in August 2025. The company closed orderly and debt-free — not through bankruptcy. Approximately 7 employees were affected across all divisions.

bommer.com remains online and displays product pages. This reflects legacy catalog content, not active production. No new Bommer spring hinges are being manufactured.

Bommer stopped making spring hinges in summer 2022. The decision was announced in July 2021. This ended production of the LB4300 series — the most widely specified commercial spring hinge in North America — along with all other builders hardware including the 3029 double-acting series and 7000 series spring pivots.

Limited existing inventory can still be purchased through two authorized liquidation distributors designated by Bommer:

• Accurate Door and Hardware — Fairfield, NJ — 973-812-2266 — accuratehardwarestore.com (LB4300 single-acting spring hinges and 8000/5000 series butt hinges)
• Architectural Builders Supply — Chicago, IL — 773-809-3667 — absupply.net (3029 double-acting hinges and 7000 series pivots)

Stock is also listed on Amazon and eBay. All available inventory is old stock — it will deplete and not be replenished. Do not rely on Bommer inventory for any project requiring long-term supply.

Bommer was best known for the LB4300 series single-acting spring hinge — available in 4-inch and 4.5-inch ANSI standard sizes. For over a century, the LB4300 was the default commercial spring hinge specification across North America. Bommer also made the 3029 series double-acting spring hinges (used on cafe and pass-through doors), the 7000 series spring pivots for frameless doors, and specialty adjustable tension models in the 7100/7000 range.

Per Bommer's own statement from May 2024: the company had been financially challenged for more than 10 years, experienced a significant reduction in sales in 2023, and determined that market conditions were not expected to improve. The company chose to close in an orderly, debt-free manner rather than wait for a potential bankruptcy. The commercial architectural spring hinge segment had been contracting for years, and Bommer could not sustain operations at a viable scale.

For a direct drop-in replacement using the same ANSI standard mortise preparation, Waterson K51M series self-closing hinges are the most capable alternative:

All K51M models use the same ANSI standard mortise preparation as Bommer's LB4300. They drop directly into existing cutouts with no additional routing. Key improvements: adjustable hydraulic and mechanical speed control, consistent closing force throughout 1,000,000-cycle service life, all-stainless-steel construction.

For projects requiring a spring hinge replacement specifically (not a closer hinge upgrade), PBB/Alrex manufactures ANSI-compatible spring hinges in standard sizes.

Yes. Three Bommer product families currently have no direct market equivalent:

• 7800 Series — heavy-duty horizontal spring pivots (7811HD, 7812HD). No equivalent currently available.
• 7122 / 7112 / 7022 / 7012 — adjustable tension specialty models. No equivalent currently available.
• 1515 / 1514 — 2-inch spring hinges with hold-open function. No equivalent currently available.

If any project specifications reference these models, consult a door hardware consultant before remaining stock at Architectural Builders Supply (IL) depletes.

Replace brand-name references with performance-based specification language:

Self-closing hinges shall be ANSI/BHMA A156.17 Grade 1, UL Listed for fire-rated assemblies up to [required] hour rating, all-stainless-steel construction, with adjustable closing speed and spring tension, minimum 1,000,000 cycle rating. Manufacturer: [Waterson K51M-400/450/500/600 as applicable] or approved equal meeting the above requirements.

This language is manufacturer-neutral and will remain valid regardless of future market disruptions. The "or approved equal" clause preserves procurement flexibility while protecting the performance floor.

Bommer's exit is a signal that the commercial architectural spring hinge segment is contracting at the premium end. Three forces are driving the shift toward closer hinges:

1. AHJ rejection of spring hinges on fire doors. Spring hinges frequently cannot demonstrate reliable positive latching from every opening angle — the functional requirement of NFPA 80. Authorities having jurisdiction increasingly reject them on fire-rated openings. Closer hinges, with adjustable speed control, reliably pass this test.
2. ADA closing speed requirements. Under ADA Section 404.2.8.1, doors with closers must take a minimum of 5 seconds to close from 90 degrees. Spring hinges have no speed control and cannot meet this requirement. Closer hinges are adjustable to the exact requirement.
3. Lifecycle maintenance cost. Spring hinges require periodic re-tensioning as springs fatigue. Closer hinges rated to 1,000,000 cycles (ANSI/BHMA A156.17 Grade 1) do not require spring readjustment over their service life — at 200 cycles per day, that is approximately 13 years.

PBB/Alrex remains in the spring hinge market. But the trajectory is clear: Bommer's commercial customers are moving to closer hinges, and the remaining spring hinge manufacturers serve a narrowing segment.