Union Industries, the market leading manufacturer of the Matadoor range of Hi-Speed Doors, has completed the installation of its tenth door at major potato buyer, packer and distributor – Branston Ltd.
The latest addition, a 4.5 metre-high Bulldoor, is located at the hub of a loading bay at the Branston factory in Ilminster, Somerset. In common with the other Union doors on the site, the Bulldoor supports hygiene and temperature control at the factory.
Branston is one of the largest farmer-controlled produce businesses in the UK. It supplies major supermarkets, including Tesco, with fresh potatoes and prepared vegetables. In addition to its factory in Ilminster, Branston operates sites in Lincoln and Scotland, employing in excess of 600 people in total.
The Ilminster factory, which has received more than £3million worth of investment in the last three years, is home to a large chilled storage facility designed to maintain the freshness of the potatoes. The 1.6 metre per second operating speeds of Union’s doors enables regular vehicle traffic in and out of the chill store without compromising temperature levels and also help to maintain hygiene in the area.
A mixture of external Ramdoors and internal Bulldoors are in operation around the multi-million pound facility, which can handle 90,000 tonnes of potatoes a year. Replacing a series of older and less efficient doors, Union’s doors have provided a successful alternative. The first Union door was installed in 2007 and, alongside a second door, has reached almost one million cycles with minimal maintenance requirements since the doors were fitted.
Union’s doors also provide the added benefit of keeping the elements out of the factory; located in an area exposed to strong winds, the Ramdoors’ operating speed virtually eradicates the opportunity for the harsh weather to enter the building. With a ‘Class 5’ rating for resistance again wind loadings, which is the highest achievable level, the Ramdoors have been specifically designed for openings where strong wind pressures are apparent.
Manufactured as part of the Matadoor range of Hi-Speed Roller Doors, the Ramdoors and Bulldoors feature Union’s highly-regarded ‘Crash-Out’ facility, which ensure the doors remain operable if the bottom beam is hit by a speeding vehicle. This ensures drastically reduced repair costs and minimal down-time.
Common to all doors in the Matadoor Range, they are supplied as standard with fire retardant and anti-static door blades which are beneficial features for all working environments.
Ian Wait, General Manager at Branston in the South West, said: “The installation of Union’s doors is part of our ongoing commitment to create an efficient and effective production facility within the factory. The benefit of being able to withstand harsh environmental conditions with minimal maintenance requirements is an important part of that commitment.
“More importantly, the speed and reliability of the doors helps us control the required temperatures in our chilled storage area, which support our energy saving and productivity commitments.”
Chris Pierce, Technical Sales Engineer at Union Industries, said: “Energy management and temperature control are key issues in the food industry and companies, including Branston, are utilising the Matadoor range of Hi-Speed Doors to meet these challenges. The range’s low maintenance requirements are ideal for businesses that operate continuous product movement as they improve rather than hinder productivity levels.”
Union Industries Tel: 0113 244 8393 www.unionindustries.co.uk
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