Introducing IDC Spring Company's Mascot, Sal

At IDC Spring, safety is our top priority. We recognize that springs and the garage doors they support can pose certain dangers, especially without the proper equipment or maintenance. Serious accidents can occur, especially involving too many unsupervised children who are unaware of the risks.

Our unwavering commitment to safety has inspired us to introduce “Sal the Safety Pal,” the IDC Spring mascot and new addition to our human resources team. Sal’s mission is to prevent spring-related accidents by offering friendly reminders of the potential dangers to our current employees, new team members and prospective recruits and providing helpful tips on how to avoid them. You’ll soon see Sal on billboards, in our print and digital ads — and even on cupcakes!

The Inspiration for Sal the Safety Pal

The events that untimely led to the creation of Sal unfolded on a tragic day in 1989 when two Minnesota children lost their lives in separate accidents. The first incident involved a garage door descending on a boy as he was putting his bicycle away, pinning him to the floor. The second accident occurred when a garage door crushed a 6-year-old girl while she was home alone. This day also happened to be the birthday of IDC Spring’s founder, Gerry Sizer.

At the same time, Gerry’s 17-year-old stepdaughter, Shelly Ann Leuwer, was battling leukemia. Shelly was quarantined due to a bone marrow transplant and learned about the garage door tragedies while watching the news on TV. A short time later, Shelly challenged Gerry about garage door safety while he and Shelly’s mother, Carol, were visiting her in the hospital. She bluntly asked Gerry, “What are you going to do about it?”

Shelly was determined to do her part in preventing these garage door accidents from occurring in the future. When Gerry and Carol visited her the next day, they discovered that Shelly had applied her considerable artistic skills to draw “SAL the Safety Pal” from her hospital bed (SAL” represents Shelly’s initials). You can still see her design on our company’s safety labels.

Sal Spurs Legislative Action

Gerry drew inspiration from Shelly’s work. He hired a local design firm to create a mockup of a warning label and presented it at national garage door industry events. The message began to spread and in May 1990, Minnesota State Representative Gerry Sikorski introduced the Garage Door Safety Act. The legislation called for various safety measures, including compliance with the UL 325 Standard via the mandatory inclusion of a photo-eye/fail-safe auto-reverse function with new garage door installations.

Shelly’s Legacy Lives On

Sadly, Shelly passed away from leukemia in May 1990 — the same month the safety legislation she inspired was introduced to Congress. But she proved that one person can make a difference in the lives of others. Sal the Safety Pal is here to ensure that Sally and her love for children will never be forgotten.

Look out for Sal the Safety Pal! And be sure to contact IDC Spring for all your garage door and industrial spring needs.

Introducing IDC Spring Company’s Mascot, Sal

Focusing On Service Excellence!

The Inspiration for Sal the Safety Pal

Sal Spurs Legislative Action

Shelly’s Legacy Lives On