Established for nearly half a century, EFAFLEX is the only company worldwide to specialise in the design, manufacture, and installation of high-speed industrial and commercial doors. Designed to improve user safety, drive performance, and significantly reduce energy costs by as much as 50%, their portfolio of door options includes a solution for virtually every application.
Managing Director at EFAFLEX UK Limited
The unique spiral design remains the world’s fastest vertically opening door with speeds of up to 4 meters per second and up to 250,000 operating cycles per annum.
They have become the product of choice across many sectors including warehouse and logistics, loading bays, cleanroom, transport, pharmaceutical, automotive, and food production due to their whole life cost savings, operating speed, and safety features.
Whether they are chosen to improve user safety, increase logistical performance, or drive energy efficiencies, EFAFLEX are the orange brand that can help your business become ‘greener’ and safer.
Darren Turrell, EFAFLEX UK Limited, Managing Director spoke to Warehouse & Logistics News.
What products or services do your company offer?
EFAFLEX manufacture, install and service a range of high-speed doors, each designed to safeguard users, minimise energy costs, and speed up logistic processes. We have three main product types, fabric, folding and spiral door options that can be used in interior, or exterior applications.
Which industries do your customers operate in?
We operate across many industries as our products add value regardless of sector. These include pharmaceutical, food and beverage, warehouse and logistics, transportation, carparking and manufacturing. You name it, and we have a high-speed door to suit most environments.
Do you have any examples of a project you have recently completed?
As in previous years, we have installed across a variety of projects to new customers, repeat businesses and those upgrading from roller shutters or overhead sectional doors. Much of our work is bespoke, and the landmark project for this year must be working at a biogas reclamation facility where the challenge was to manufacture and install a suitable door with towering proportions of 11 metres tall by 5 metres wide, whilst still being high-speed of course!
How did the Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown affect your business?
Like many, the lockdown had an immediate impact on the business, as we have customers in so many different sectors, but our operations team did an excellent job of making sure we provided continuous support to those who needed it throughout challenging times. While many of the back-office functions transferred to home working, supply chains were kept open and production continued to flow throughout.
Did Covid-19 have a negative impact or did the increase in online shopping actually result in a boost to your business?
The effect was balanced, while some sectors delayed or deferred works, we’ve seen key sector customers growing and investing far sooner than they would have envisaged, with pharma and medical suppliers unsurprisingly very active.
Is your business back to normal following the Covid-19 outbreak?
Thanks to the efforts of the whole team we were able to resume ‘normal’ operations in May, with the business quickly getting back to similar levels to those prior to COVID.
Going forward, will the industry be permanently changed as a result of Covid-19 or will it return to how it was pre-COVID?
For our customers safe, high-speed doors have defiantly moved up the agenda, whether they are looking to control airflow, minimise contamination or adopt more energy efficiencies. There’s also been a further focus on activation methods with increased interest in our contactless devices which can help reduce the risk of contamination and spread of bacteria.
What products or services will you be introducing in the next year?
You know us, there’s always something new or different on the horizon! We are always striving to remain global innovators in our field. There’s certainly more planned for 2021, with smart service options and further improvements to our Sales App and BIM portals to boot!
In what areas are you making technological advances?
EFAFLEX never stands still. In our near 50-year history, we have always been at the forefront of high-speed door technology, with constant advances in our integrated control systems, safety, and activation devices. Watch this space!
What training do you provide for your staff?
All technical staff are factory trained, with periodic refreshers and updates on new products. As travel to our European based training centre and production facilities hasn’t been possible this year, like many businesses we’ve reverted to (the dreaded !) various online platforms, as well as improving local facilities to make sure we keep everyone as up to date as possible.
What improvements have you made to your customer service recently?
We have made several new appointments over the year, including field engineers to provide improved coverage, adding to the back-office support functions, and expanding our business development team. The changes we’ve made have meant that our office team can all work remotely whilst providing seamless customer support.
Do you help customers maximise the use of their existing warehouse space?
Certainly, we contribute to helping customers improve their efficiencies. By working closely with our clients, we provide the right door solution for their specific application. The door activation can be tailored to suit the customers’ needs or integrated into newly adopted automation solutions. We’re privileged to have a very experienced team, who have the knowledge and skills to manage all manner of applications and scenarios.
Will you be investing in your premises over the next 12 months?
We plan to improve our local training facility and are in the process of reorganising our storage facility to optimise our space. We’ve also taken the precaution of securing additional warehousing facilities locally which allows us to bridge the initial Brexit period into early next year.
What industries do you believe offer your business the most potential over the next year?
Based on this year’s activity, food and pharmaceutical will be the ones to watch, but we’ve been pleased to see customers in a broad array of sectors who are committed to investment plans for 2021 and beyond.
How future proof is your business?
EFAFLEX have been at the forefront of high-speed door technology for almost 50 years, and I cannot see that changing. The need for our products continues, while the configurations and technologies used will continue to change – only far faster than we’ll have ever seen before. Introduction of smart tech for servicing and maintenance, sales app, BIM will continue to become more important than ever before.
Will you be exhibiting at any major trade shows over the next year?
Yes – there are a number of postponed trade shows from 2020 where you can see our doors in action which include Foodex and PPMA, plus global exhibitions too.
How would you sum up your company in three words?
(EFAFLEX) safe, high-speed (doors).
EFAFLEX
01952 582 641
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