At UKWA’s National Conference in March one of the hottest topics was cyber security and the problems facing digitally connected businesses. However, Britain’s warehouse managers still also face traditional security threats from thieves and other intruders, hence the importance of safe, secure, efficient warehouse doors.

As well as excluding unwanted visitors, warehouse doors shut out the elements, keep workers cool in summer and warm in winter, contribute to the warehouse’s thermal efficiency, segregate specific areas in multi-temperature warehouses or warehouses storing valuable items and, perish the thought, stop the spread of fire. The list goes on.

As industrial doors and operating staff get more sophisticated, warehouse operators need to train staff thoroughly in installing and, using this equipment. In February 2018 the Door & Hardware Federation issued its Code of Practice, drawing on applicable legislation, European, British and Irish standards and industry best practice to provide clear guidance on the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of industrial doors and, the DHF’s other remit, domestic garage doors.

The DHF Code of Practice establishes and maintains minimum safety standards for the design, manufacture, installation, maintenance and operation of manual and automated door systems. It provides guidance on user training and safety awareness, defines the minimum requirements for technical documentation and sets out a training and competency framework.

It’s a given that all this due diligence on the part of the end user should happen in partnership with a reliable door supplier. At which point, we pause to say congratulations once again to Hörmann, one of Europe’s leading industrial door makers, who are currently celebrating their fortieth anniversary. There’s more on their recent UK celebrations in our news pages.

Meanwhile the ongoing uncertainty over Brexit hasn’t stopped British-based businesses investing in industrial doors and related systems. Leading logistics property developer Panattoni has continued its longstanding partnership with Hörmann UK by commissioning a bespoke cross dock facility at Four Ashes Business Park in Wolverhampton, with 60 loading bays, 52 standard bay dock shelters and eight double deck dock shelters.

Another leading door supplier, sara LBS recently supplied all the loading bay equipment, including doors, for the Co-op’s new Dalcross Distribution Centre at Inverness Airport Business Park, part of a sustained process of expansion and renewal for the Co-op’s convenience retail network in Northern Scotland.

British-owned Union Industries has been helping a growing Berkshire manufacturer to keep its new facility extension properly segregated. Thatcham-based Xtrac, who make advanced gearboxes for the motorsport and highperformance automotive industries, required an effective solution to segregate areas of its new factory.

Union Industries installed a Picadoor and two Static Fabric Industrial Partitions to create a three-sided static enclosure, resulting in two isolated areas to help prevent cross migration of contaminant airborne particulate and maintain temperature control.

Finally, confirming the endless possibilities for industrial doors and the need to be open minded in planning door projects, in our feature Efaflex UK Managing Director, Darren Turrell says the EFAFLEX team look at every aperture as an opportunity not just to provide a door, but an application solution bespoke to each customer and site. Now there’s a starter for ten!

CHARLES SMITH


Feature Writer

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