The Von Duprin 98/ 99 Series from Allegion plc - panic exit device built for heavy traffic

Reviewed: ad hoc news Bestseller & Flagship desk. Edited and checked on 2026-06-22, 21:12. Details in the imprint.

Von Duprin 98/99 Series hits you first as a solid metal bar running across a heavy fire door, cool to the touch and with a quiet, springy push when someone leans into it during an evacuation drill. In many North American schools, hospitals and sports arenas, this is the unseen hardware that decides how fast a crowd can get out. It is one of Allegion plc’s most important flagship products in the commercial exit-device space.

What the device is made for

The Von Duprin 98/99 Series is a heavy-duty rim exit device designed for high-traffic doors that must allow fast egress while staying locked from the outside. According to Allegion, it targets education, healthcare, commercial offices and large venues where codes require panic hardware on outward-swinging doors. The official product page describes it as suitable for doors up to 4 feet wide with frequent use.

On the door, the user only sees the push rail and end caps, but behind that simple look sits a steel chassis, latch mechanism and dogging options that building engineers like because they can keep the door unlatched during peak hours. Facilities managers often specify the 98 Series with a grooved case and the 99 Series with a smooth case to match interior design choices without changing the underlying mechanics.

How it works in daily use

In practice, the 98/99 Series turns the whole door width into a large push area, so a panicked person does not have to hunt for a knob or lever. The bar needs only a modest push force to retract the latch, which helps people carrying bags, pushing wheelchairs or guiding children. Technicians appreciate that the latch bolt projects deeply into the strike, so the door feels firmly secured when closed, yet opens in a single movement from inside.

Building staff can configure the device with mechanical dogging, using a hex key to hold the latch retracted during business hours, or with cylinder dogging for more controlled access. For fire-rated doors, code prohibits traditional dogging, so Allegion offers a latch retraction solution that works with electric power supplies and access control systems to keep compliance intact while still enabling scheduled unlock times.

Options, certifications and trim

Product manager Lisa Brown at Allegion often highlights how many door configurations the 98/99 Series can cover with different trims, electrified options and finishes. Customers can choose rim, surface vertical rod or concealed vertical rod versions to match door type and local building codes. The Von Duprin brand site lists UL fire ratings, ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 compliance and hurricane/windstorm approvals on selected models.

Trim choices range from simple exterior pull handles to keyed lever trims that integrate with master key systems. For electronic access, Allegion sells electrified trims and latch retraction kits that tie into card readers or building automation, so facility security teams can unlock or lock doors centrally. Finish options such as plated brass, stainless steel and painted steel let architects coordinate with other door hardware in the corridor.

Where it shines and where it adds cost

The 98/99 Series is overbuilt for light interior doors, but that is the point: it is meant to survive thousands of pushes each day without the push rail rattling or the latch wearing out. In busy settings, maintenance crews value devices that keep working in the background because a failure means a compliance issue or a stuck crowd during an alarm. Many specifiers view the higher upfront price as justified by longer service intervals and fewer emergency call-outs.

The downside, especially for budget-conscious schools, is that this hardware sits at the higher end of the panic device price spectrum. Lower-cost exit devices exist, but they may not carry the same Grade 1 durability rating or the same menu of electrified variants. For large projects with hundreds of doors, buyers often negotiate package deals that bundle the 98/99 Series with hinges, closers and access-control components from Allegion’s other brands.

Pricing, availability and market role

Allegion does not advertise a universal list price for the Von Duprin 98/99 Series, because configurations span basic mechanical to fully electrified models sold through commercial distributors. In practice, integrators in the United States often quote street prices in the mid-hundreds of US dollars per device for standard rim versions, with electrified variants costing more due to extra hardware and installation work.

The product is widely available in North America and also sold internationally through Allegion’s distributor network, especially in commercial building markets where US panic hardware standards are common. For Germany and the wider EU, local fire and escape-route standards differ, so specifiers sometimes choose alternative lines optimised for EN norms, while the 98/99 Series remains a reference point for heavy-duty design.

Company context and share listing

Allegion plc, spun off from Ingersoll Rand in 2013 and headquartered in Dublin with major operations in the United States, positions Von Duprin alongside Schlage, CISA and other brands in a portfolio spanning mechanical locks to cloud-connected access control. The company’s brand overview shows Von Duprin as the specialist for commercial exit devices.

Allegion plc shares (ISIN IE00BFRT3W74) trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker ALLE, with the latest quotations reported in US dollars during regular US trading hours.

This article was AI-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information without guarantee; prices and availability may change at short notice. No investment advice, no buy or sell recommendation. Stock-market transactions involve risks up to total loss.