Investment spells loading bay success for Hörmann in 2015

For the first time since 2010, the big shed market is witnessing a fresh boom and industrial door and loading bay manufacturer Hörmann is reaping the benefits. According to Savills, this year has seen a nationwide increase in the supply of units, with both speculative and build-tosuit (BTS) warehouses popping up across the country.

The need for more warehouses and distribution centres throughout 2015 has meant good news for the loading bay industry. As one of the leading manufacturers, Hörmann has been enjoying increased sales of its highquality loading bay equipment and technology.

Among the retailers to enjoy recent expansion is British discount chain TJ Morris (aka Home Bargains), the second largest independent grocer in the UK with over 370 stores. Business growth saw Hörmann install 21 loading bays, complete with dock levellers, shelters, bumpers, traffic lights and wheel guides at the company’s new £12 million regional distribution centre in Liverpool.

The rise in big shed builds has also led to a surge in demand for Hörmann’s maintenance and repair packages. The manufacturer’s service department has expanded and improved considerably over the course of the year under the guidance of new Industrial Service Manager, Phillip Clark.

Phillip has joined Hörmann with over a decade of customer service experience, having previously worked as a customer relations officer for TNT, before supervising a call centre team at CEVA Logistics. Prior to starting at Hörmann, he had been heading up the service team at electric tug maker MasterMover.

In his new role, Phillip has been overseeing all aspects of industrial service at Hörmann, from on-site maintenance and repair, through to the technical advice and spare parts provided to end customers, such as Sainsbury’s and Network Rail. He has been tasked with strengthening the manufacturer’s relationships with trade partners, increasing efficiency and enhancing customer service.

Now, as well as providing competitive maintenance contracts on all Hörmann products, the company is offering to service any brand of industrial door or loading bay as part of its flexible packages.

Round the clock call outs are available for emergency maintenance and customers can even enjoy a discount of up to 10 per cent on Hörmann replacement parts and labour.

As demand for its maintenance contracts grows, Hörmann is adding to the service team, employing both new engineers and office staff. A technical support and training engineer has recently been employed to oversee all in house training and to ensure that the level of service provided is of the highest quality.

As well as working directly with end customers, Hörmann also trains its network of trade partners on all technical aspects of its products, from specification and fitting to maintenance and repair.

The standard of training available to Hörmann employees and trade partners is an area that has received considerable investment this year. This is set to improve even further following the recent opening of the new Hörmann Forum Training and Exhibition Centre located at the company’s headquarters in Steinhagen, Germany. The centre, which houses the manufacturer’s entire product range over the building’s three floors, will be offering numerous product-related training courses and seminars for employees and trade partners to attend.

Hörmann has made a significant commitment to positive investment across numerous areas of the business throughout 2015, with a particular focus on research and development and reducing its carbon footprint. The manufacturer’s efforts to improve its green status were also acknowledged earlier this year at the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) annual award ceremony, where it was presented with the environment award.

The company was commended for its successful application of ‘green’ processes after CO2 emissions across Hörmann’s 16 factories were reduced by 16,000 tonnes a year. The manufacturer used a variety of measures to achieve this including the use of renewably generated energy, the installation of combined heat and power plants, and switching from oil to gas heating at some locations.

Hörmann has also worked to improve the efficiency of its product range, allowing customers to reduce their carbon footprint just as it is reducing its own. Three new insulated panels for its high-speed sectional doors were launched earlier this year at the BAU trade show in Munich. Designed for use in chilled areas or low energy warehouses, the panels include built-in thermal breaks to help reduce heat losses.

The new 100mm thick panel, providing an exceptional U-value of just 0.24 W/(m2K) is now available for the ISO Speed Cold door, a popular choice within temperature controlled operations. Improved insulation is just one solution for warehouse managers to lower their energy consumption and subsequently minimise their environmental impact.

01530 513000

info@hormann.co.uk

www.hormann.co.uk