The Door Industry Journal: April 2013

Tuesday, 30 April 2013

INGERSOLL RAND BOMB BLAST DOORS WIN BEST IN CLASS AT COUNTER TERROR EXPO EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Gurbachan Gill and Colin Campbell

Leading global provider of security and safety solutions Ingersoll Rand has won the ‘Best Buildings and Facilities Protection Innovation’ award for its range of Automatic Bomb Blast Doors at the Counter Terror Expo Excellence Awards 2013.

Ingersoll Rand’s superior range of bomb blast doors, which has been applied at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5 and Kings Cross train station in London, is already providing essential protection for passengers and commuters across the UK.

Colin Campbell, door solutions expert at Ingersoll Rand, attended the awards. He commented:

“We’re absolutely thrilled to win the Best Buildings and Facilities Protection Innovation award for our bomb blast doors. At Ingersoll Rand we’re dedicated to the design and development of superior security products and end to end solutions. To be recognised for it in this way is just fantastic.

“Increasingly, we’re finding that a wide variety of industries, including high street retailers, are seeking doors which are built to withstand heavy blasts or sustained hammer attacks, without compromising on style. Our range of doors suits every level of need and our bomb blast doors offer that additional level of protection and peace of mind, as part of a high level security package. It’s great to be commended for our efforts and receive such a clear indication that our designs are ahead of the game.”

All Ingersoll Rand products are designed with industry needs in mind and are backed up by Ingersoll Rand’s full design and project input capabilities, providing end to end solutions for all security needs.

For more information on Ingersoll Rand’s range of bomb blast doors and solutions, visit: www.ingersollrand.co.uk.

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Monday, 29 April 2013

New and Expectant Mothers in the Workplace.

When a female worker becomes pregnant it is often a very happy time and a cause for celebration, however, many women worry that they cannot say anything for fear that it may cause problems at work especially in small businesses where staffing levels are low.

In today’s society women constitute a large percentage of the workforce in many industrialised countries, and as a result, addressing pregnancy-related health issues in the workplace is an important factor in order to protect the expectant mother and the unborn baby. Pregnancy should not be equated with ill health and should be regarded as a part of everyday life.

Ideally workers should advise their employer as soon as they are able to when they know that they are pregnant. Legally a female employee must give her employer three pieces of information. Firstly, she must tell her employer that she is pregnant prior to or during the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth (EWC). She must then notify her employer of the EWC date, and she must give the date on which she intends to start her maternity leave. This must be given in writing if the employer requests it. Where necessary the company can also ask to see the form MAT B1. The employee can only change the date on which she intends to start her maternity leave by giving 28 days notice before the new intended start date. Again this must be in writing, if requested.

Once the employee has advised her employer of the pregnancy they must acknowledge the notification of maternity leave within 28 days. Employers are under a duty to protect the health and safety of their employees and there are special duties that apply in respect of new or expectant mothers in the workplace, therefore it is important that the employer and the employee work together to deal with any issues, with a full and open communication.

Being pregnant does not prevent anyone from working or developing their career and every year around 350,000 women continue to work during their pregnancy and over 69% of them return to work after giving birth. In many workplaces there are conditions that are deemed safe under normal circumstances, but may not be so during pregnancy. For example:-

Lifting and carrying of heavy loads.
Standing or sitting for long periods of time.
Exposure to infectious diseases.
Work related stress.
Workstation and posture.
Excessively noisy workplaces.

Therefore the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations places a legal duty on all employers to assess the health and safety risks that their employees are exposed to. Once the risks have been assessed, as an employer it is your responsibility to implement any necessary control measures to either control, eliminate or reduce the identified risks. When compiling the assessment it will be important to take into account any medical advice that has been provided by the individual’s GP or midwife.

As the risk assessment is being conducted it is crucial to pay particular attention to the health and safety risks that may affect the new or expectant mother and the baby. If any risks are identified then the new and expectant mother is entitled to a change in working conditions in order that the risk be significantly reduced. However if the risks cannot be removed then you have to ensure that the new or expectant mother is not exposed by offering suitable alternative work if there is any. (The term 'new and expectant mothers' covers women who are pregnant, have given birth in the last six months or are breastfeeding.)

Unfortunately, if there is no other suitable alternative work you must place the new or expectant mother on "maternity suspension" and pay her normal wage or salary throughout the suspension. The only exception is where you have offered suitable alternative work and it has been unreasonably refused. For expectant mothers, maternity suspension can last, if necessary, up to the fourth week before the expected week of childbirth, at which time the ordinary maternity leave period begins.

When compiling the risk assessment, consideration should be given to additional rest breaks, as a new or expectant mother is more likely to need to go to the toilet more frequently, also it will be important for the pregnant worker to drink plenty of fluids both while they are pregnant and when breastfeeding.

As the pregnancy progresses you should constantly monitor and review the assessment to take into account possible risks at various stages of the pregnancy. If as a result of your specific risk assessment, stress has been identified as a possible risk then you should, where possible, remove the risk, or alternatively change the individuals working conditions or hours. As an example, this can extend to hours of work being adjusted in order to reduce the likelihood of having to travel during rush hour.

It is important to remember that an employee can return to work even though she is still breastfeeding. However, it is important that the individual gives written notification ideally prior to the return date in order for a suitable assessment to be completed. As an employer you are required to provide a place for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers to rest. The Health and Safety Executive ‘recommends’ (but it is not a legal requirement) that a private healthy and safe environment be provided for nursing mothers to express and store milk. (Please note: the toilet is not deemed suitable.)

Further advice and guidance on employees requirements in relation to New and Expectant Mothers can be obtained from Citation Plc. We offer a fixed price health and safety and employment law consultancy service in order to help our clients comply with legislation.

If you require any assistance or advice regarding health and safety or employment law compliance, please contact Citation on 0845 844 1111 or visit www.citation.co.uk.

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Saturday, 27 April 2013

PD30CN – No Compromise on Accuracy

Carlo Gavazzi has launched the PD30CN family of miniature photoelectric sensors which complements its already established range. This new cost effective solution is suited to applications where high accuracy of detection is critical.

The PD30CN is not short on features; and includes the latest technology in background suppression which improves accuracy of the detection of colours and has a sensing range of 200mm, diffuse reflective, retro-reflective, with or without polarisation and through beam sensors which are used to detect objects either by reflection or interruption of the emitted light beam.

The background suppression model uses active pixel sensor’s (APS) CMOS array of 64 x 1 sensor with each pixel representing a specific position. When the reflected light hits the AOS at exactly the same position and the centre mass can be found of the energy in the received light. This is why white, grey and black objects are detected at similar distances, therefore no need for any re-adjustments; the biggest advantage of a CMOS sensor is that it is immune to the blooming effect where a light source has overloaded the sensitivity of the sensor, causing the sensor to bleed the light source onto other pixels.

Its standard IP67 housing is only 10.8x20x30mm and is manufactured in a reinforced PMMA/ABS. Including a manual potentiometer for easy setup and easy adjustment, NO and NC outputs and NPN and PNP versions and has a rated operating voltage of 10-30VDC (incl. 10% ripple), voltage drop of 2 VDC at a maximum load, and an output current of 100mA.

The PD30CN meets the requirements of many industries such as Automation and Materials Handling.

For more information regarding Carlo Gavazzi and its range of products, please visit the new format and easy to navigate website: www.carlogavazzi.co.uk

Sales enquiries: 01252 339600 or write to Carlo Gavazzi UK Ltd, 7 Springlakes Industrial Estate, Deadbrook Lane, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU12 4UH

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Friday, 26 April 2013

WHAT IS THE TRUE COST OF A DOOR CLOSER?

Mechanical door closers are frequently specified on the basis of initial purchase cost, but all too often the low purchase price masks on-going maintenance and performance issues which can lead to costs spiralling out of control, says Paul Barrows of Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies.

Door closers are regarded as a commodity product, with very little thought given to their performance other than the initial purchase price. By the time anything goes wrong, the subcontractor who originally fitted them can be difficult to contact, leaving the end user to inherit the problem and its associated costs.

The problem with a purchase price approach to specification is that mechanical door closers are often subject to very heavy usage, particularly when fitted in high traffic areas in public buildings. A large department store entrance for example will have around 5,000 openings per day which equates to 1.5 million annually. A school entrance door will have circa 1,250 openings per day or 225,000 annually and a hospital ward door will typically be opened 350 times a day which equates to 128,000 openings annually. With door closers, as in many other walks of life, you get what you pay for and a cheaper product will often be unable to withstand this volume of use.

However, the problems don’t stop with the mere opening and closing of doors. Real world conditions impose strains on mechanical door closers which do not come to light in manufacturer test bed conditions.

For example, forced openings and door misalignment lead to sagging doors and frames and bent arms, amongst other problems. In turn, this causes damage to the internal workings of the door closer and can ultimately lead to the door closer failing to perform as it should.

At this stage, bigger problems start to occur. There will be a loss of door control, with unreliable closing and associated safety and security risks. Inevitably, this will lead to increased costs for door replacement, maintenance and door frame repairs.

What’s more, associated ironmongery is always subject to additional stress if a door closer malfunctions and the lifecycle of the door and hinges is seriously impaired. Any carpenter will tell you that there are only so many times that you can put screws into the same fixing holes. Eventually, repairs will have to be made to the door and frame.

Estates managers also have to consider the potential injuries or worse of a child losing a finger in a door closer that has failed in a school or an elderly person being trapped due to a faulty door during a fire. It is no exaggeration to say that door hardware failure is, potentially, a life threatening problem.

Unfortunately, whilst door closer standards are useful in specification, in the UK a CE mark does not tell the whole story. A CE marked 1154 door closer will typically be tested to circa 500,000 cycles which sounds a lot, but in practise may only equate to one year’s operational activity.

A much better approach to door closer specification is total lifecycle cost. At the base level a CE marked 1154 door closer is tested to 500,000 cycles, however, in a hospital application for example, the door could easily complete its 500,000 cycles in a single calendar year. Over twenty years the door closer will therefore need to be replaced on an annual basis, meaning a twenty fold increase on the initial purchase price.

In comparison, a Briton LCN 4011 door closer, which is widely regarded as a premium product will have an initial purchase cost of 2-3 times the cost of a base model CE marked door closer. However, the Briton LCN 4011 is tested to a much higher level, above and beyond the CE standards, to circa 10 million cycles. Therefore, in the same hospital application, it would be expected that the LCN 4011 door closer will last for more than 20 years, which would mean a much lower cost over the life of the building.

It must also be remembered that every time a door closer is replaced, someone must incur the installation costs, even if there is a maintenance manager on site. It is clear that the whole life cost of a door closer can quickly increase above and beyond the initial purchase price.

Even without adding in these additional repair costs, damage to associated products and inflation, a premium product tested to a level beyond the current CE markings has the potential to demonstrate significant savings within two years, when fitted on high traffic doors.

My advice to specifiers and end users is for high traffic applications and performance beyond what merely CE marked products can offer, it is necessary to look at the whole life cost of a door closer.

For more information about Ingersoll Rand Security please visit www.ingersollrand.co.uk.

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Thursday, 25 April 2013

The easiest way yet for making safe gates

For two years now, the convenient Plug´N´Sense System for the assembly of safety contact edges has been available. ASO Safety Solutions, developer and manufacturer of tactile sensor technology, gate controls and corresponding electronics, is proud of such a customer oriented product. Further development steps are in progress.

In Germany there is a saying, which when expressed in English means: “The bait is meant for the fish and not for the fisherman”. With this saying in mind, some of the errors made by engineers and product managers could have been avoided. Unfortunately products are too often developed with the approach, to create something new as an end in itself. Too few ask the right questions before they give the wrong answers: What kind of problem is a product supposed to solve? Whose problems shall be solved? And the most important question: Does the product solve this problem?

ASO Safety Solutions from Salzkotten can answer this last question with a determined YES. But let us first talk about the question for the what and the whose. The answer is quite simple. The assembly of safety contact edges is usually the task of door and gate system manufacturers as well as engineers responsible for the installation and maintenance of doors and gates.

Click here to read the rest of this article.......

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Wednesday, 24 April 2013

Door company owner and fitter prosecuted after falling roller shutter door death

A Yorkshire farmer died when he was crushed under a half-tonne roller shutter door that had been badly installed, a court heard. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) brought a prosecution for safety breaches against the owner of the firm who supplied the door and the fitter who installed it.

At Bradford Crown Court, the owner of Easydoor, Paul Halliwell, accepted he had not taken notice of guidance issued by the Door & Hardware Federation. He admitted a single charge under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. He has since wound up his company. Fitter David Whittaker also pleaded guilty to one charge under the same legislation.

The court heard that Robert Ireland, 71, died from multiple injuries at the farm near Malton, when a roller shutter door that had recently been fitted fell from its ‘flimsy’ mountings. The entire door, weighing 424kg, fell some 4.5m to the ground, pinning him underneath.

The HSE found that the door fell because there was a mismatch between the length of the door barrel and the distance between the supporting brackets. As a result, the end of the barrel that came free from the mountings first was only held in place by a few millimetres.

The installation problem was compounded by flimsy brackets supporting the shutter that could be easily deflected outwards by several millimetres due to the stresses created as the door was operated.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Geoff Fletcher said: "This type of incident, where the entire shutter door has fallen because the door was not securely fastened to its mountings, has occurred before and resulted in serious injuries. Installers should have the appropriate design and installation considerations to prevent it happening.

"There are several relatively simple methods that could have been used to prevent this door from coming loose from its mountings. Such methods are well known within the industry and specialist guidance on the matter is published by them and is widely available."

The DHF guide on restraining roller shutter door barrels, which is endorsed by the HSE, can be downloaded from the DHF website, www.dhfonline.org.uk .

Paul Halliwell was given 200 hours of community service and ordered to pay £2,000 toward costs after being found guilty of breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act. David Whittaker was also given 200 hours’ community service and told to pay £2,000 towards costs for breaching Section 7(a) of the same act.

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Tuesday, 23 April 2013

UNION MASTERS ONLINE ORDERING

UNION, part of ASSA ABLOY Security Solutions, has launched a new ordering facility online, to make purchasing its popular masterkey suites safe and secure and – above all – convenient for its customers.

Supported by a step-by-step video to demonstrate ease of use – available within the masterkey ordering portal at www.uniononline.co.uk– the facility allows UNION customers to place their own Masterkey orders for the first time, via the user-friendly online ordering form.

In five simple steps customers can manage and place orders for UNION’s Masterkey Systems including its traditional 5 and 6 Pin Masterkey system along with its popular cylinder platforms; KeyULTRA™ and KeyRETRO™.

The step-by-step process ensures all information required for an order to be processed is provided, avoiding delays from queries and helping to keep lead times to a minimum. The user will be guided through a selection process of product type, function, finish, quantity and then asked to input masterkey information, such as the differ each product should be manufactured to.

Brett Adderley, Product Manager for UNION, said:

“All customers need to place an order is their order number, email address and Masterkey requirements – it really is that simple!

“We’ve worked hard to ensure that this system is as hassle-free yet comprehensive as possible, and feel it offers our customers a new level of service. We’ve also provided a step-by-step video alongside the ordering system on the site, just to ensure our customers are feeling the full benefit of the amenity.

“Time restrictions and project deadlines can make ordering products an unnecessary chore. Plus, ordering Masterkey systems requires a lot of detail and information can be easily missed, resulting in delays.

“We hope that our simple online ordering system negates this, and provides customers with an easy way to manage systems and obtain new products.”

For further information on UNION’s products or to place your Masterkey order, please visit www.uniononline.co.uk.

UNION is part of ASSA ABLOY Security Solutions, a division of the ASSA ABLOY Group, the global leader in door opening solutions.

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Monday, 22 April 2013

NEW Twist 350 swing gate operator from SOMMER

German door and gate automation manufacturer SOMMER has announced a new addition to its range of swing gate operators. The Twist 350 is designed for use with gates up to 3.5m in width and fits into the range between the 2m wide capability of the Twist 200 and the 5m wide capability of the Twist XL.

Commenting on the introduction, Mel Lovatt, SOMMER UK Managing Director, said:

"The continuing growth of sales of the Twist 200 and Twist XL show us there is real demand for quality engineered swing gates in the UK. The arrival of the Twist 350 gives installers an ideal mid-size option with all the benefits they have come to expect when they buy a SOMMER product".

The Twist 350 is self-locking without any additional electrical lock, has electronic limit switches with Reed contacts for precise limit setting and has a regulated soft run, with no power loss. The integral microprocessor control board includes a range of settings including a pedestrian door function, automatic closing, adjustable early warning time and adjustable response to the detection of an obstacle on closing for either total or partial gate reversal.

The Twist 350 is suitable for both left and right opening gates and gates which open to the outside. Single gate and double gate kits are available and the Twist 350 can be used in mixed operations with Twist 200 and Twist XL operators.

For more information about the Twist 350 or for a full SOMMER catalogue, price list and trading arrangements, contact Mel Lovatt on 01904 60 87 87 or email enquiries@sommeruk.com.

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Sunday, 21 April 2013

Hopkirk Healey to go under the hammer

A 1965 Healey Le Mans prototype which was raced by Paddy Hopkirk and Andrew Hedges at Le Mans 1966 is to be sold by COYS at their Ascot Auction on April 27th and could sell for between £180,000 and £220,000.

Built by Donald Healey in 1965 and registered in 1966 the car also raced at Sebring that year driven by Paul Hawkins and Timo Makinen in day glo orange, the same colour it is in today.

The car was later exported to the United States and in 1970 it participated in the Daytona 24 hour race driven by “Bill” Harris.

The car raced at the Le Mans classic and Goodwood revival in 2010. It has its original Le Mans 4 speed and overdrive box, is FIA compliant with a roll cage and big tank fuel cell and has new FIA race seats and belts fitted.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for someone to acquire a race car with a great history, and one that should prove a great investment for the future,“ said Chris Routledge, Managing Director at COYS.

Auction: Sat 27th April 2013 at 12:00pm

Viewing: Friday 26th April 2013 - 12.00pm - 6.00pm
On the day of auction from 10.00am

Location: Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7JX, UK

Admission: Admission by catalogue only (admits two)

More information: www.coys.co.uk

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Saturday, 20 April 2013

Bosses beware! Workers view theft in the office as a ‘guilt free’ right

Tea bags, paper, pens and software are all targets for the office thief

Office workers the length and breadth of Britain are stealing everything from pens and paper to software on a daily basis, as they increasingly see it as a right and perk of the job. This is according to the latest research conducted by the Federation Against Software Theft (FAST).

The survey – conducted across 200 companies - found that some 86% of those questioned never felt guilty when stealing from their employer, many viewing it as an unofficial right of the job.

Key findings included:

Pens are the most commonly stolen items by employees with some 82% stating that they regularly took them
A staggering 15% confessed to stealing tea bags; 11% toilet paper and 21% stole printer paper
Of the sample 16% stole software from their office to install at home
A further 26% admitted that they installed software on the office network without paying for it
20% confessed that they also downloaded and installed music, games and ebooks that they also knew they had to pay for

Alex Hilton, Chief Executive of FAST said:

“The challenge for corporate UK is not only the costs associated with the loss of goods in the office, but the inherent risks associated with that theft. If workers think that stealing software is a ‘right’ and that they are doing this guilt free, then corporate UK needs to ask itself one serious question: what on earth are they putting on the corporate network and are they managing their software estates effectively?

“To be clear this is not just about the potential risk of malware and other security issues, but the reputational risk for the business if they are caught using illegal software,” he added.

“Corporate UK needs to remain focused on one key fact: the company is liable if they are caught using illegal software, not the employee. These figures prove once again that the issue of illegal software use has not gone away and that businesses need to remain vigilant. Furthermore, organisations such as FAST, need to maintain the pressure on infringers through the effective use of both educational and enforcement programmes.”

The Top Ten stolen goods from the office:
1.    Pens 82%
2.    Post-it Notes 65%
3.    Blank CDs 33%
4.    Blank discs 33%
5.    Printer paper 21%
6.    Notebooks 20%
7.    SOFTWARE 16%
8.    Digital content 16%
9.    Teabags 15%
10. Toilet paper 11%

About FAST

The Federation Against Software Theft was formed in 1984. FAST is a not-for-profit organisation limited by guarantee and wholly owned by its members. It aims to reduce, restrict and or lessen the incidence of unauthorised dealings in computer software. It works on many fronts to promote software compliance and protect its members’ rights through awareness, enforcement, lobbying and promoting standards and best practice in business.

Image from Flickr.com used under Creative Commons Licence

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Friday, 19 April 2013

An Introduction to Control Station Ltd Electronic Controls Supplier

Control Station Ltd is delighted to introduce itself to the UK Commercial Door Industry.

Based in Leeds, West Yorkshire and headed up by key industry figure Gary Ryecroft, Control Station Ltd specialises in the design and manufacture of electronic controls and access solutions for commercial doors, shutters and barriers.

The management team working alongside Gary has held key roles within the commercial and garage door industries for many years, gaining a reputation during this period for developing groundbreaking control solutions. These solutions became recognised for their unrivalled functionality and compliance to industry safety standards.

Control Station is developing a unique product portfolio with innovative features. Products will include fixed and remote access options designed to provide premium functionality, reliability and security to commercial properties. All products will be fully compliant with industry safety standards.

Products are UK designed and manufactured, utilising the latest design techniques and state of the art manufacturing facilities. The company’s dedicated development and manufacturing teams work together from product concept to completion to ensure customers receive quality control solutions as standard. Being in full control of this process ensures the company is equipped to handle standard, customised and bespoke product requirements.

The company understands the importance of quality. Its quality assurance process consists of planned and systematic activities that ensure the required levels of quality are achieved across all departments. This process is supported by the company’s ISO9001: 2008 accreditation.

The company recognises the importance of supporting its products and is committed to providing industry-leading support at all times. The company’s understanding of its products and the environments they are installed gives customers the confidence they are working with industry experts.

If you would like to discuss your electronic control requirements, please get in touch.

T 0113 225 2025
E info@controlstation.co.uk

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Thursday, 18 April 2013

An Update from SWS UK on their Lakeland Awnings Product Range

SWS UK has written to its distributor network to announce that having supplied and manufactured awnings for four years they have now made the decision to withdraw the product range and focus on other areas of their business.

MD Colin Reoch, stated in the communication:

"The growth in garage doors, roller shutters and industrial doors has meant that we are keen to further develop these products which represent our core business.

"We will continue to supply the Piazza terrace roof as the applications where this product has been sold and the manufacturing process involved is aligned to that of the rest of our products.

"A number of our customers successfully sold the Lakeland awnings range and we do not want this well built brand to become obsolete. As a result, for the last two months we have been speaking to a number of awning assemblers to establish a continuation of supply".

Introducing The New Distributor Of Lakeland Awnings

Colin continued:

"We are delighted to say that the Lakeland Awnings Ltd (AMO Group) in West Yorkshire will be the new distributors of the AVZ system and Lakeland awnings. Like SWS, they will also be able to supply the Piazza terrace roof.

"With over 8 years of awnings sales and assembly experience, the technical knowledge and support that they can offer is of the highest standard, which we know our customers expect.

"We have been working with AMO to transfer stock and they will be able to accept orders from 22nd of April. As you would expect they will be offering the same pricing structure and lead times that you have received from SWS UK".

Andrew Crookes from Lakeland (AMO) will be contacting distributors shortly to discuss their requirements for 2013.

Their contact details are:
Lakeland Awnings Ltd (AMO Group)
Unit 6
Sycamore Industrial Estate
Walkley Lane
Heckmondwike
WF16 0NL
t: 01924 412666
f: 01924 412233
e: sales@lakelandawnings.co.uk
w: www.lakelandawnings.co.uk

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Wednesday, 17 April 2013

INGERSOLL RAND SET TO BRING THE MAGIC TO IFSEC 2013

Leading global provider of security and safety solutions Ingersoll Rand will be launching its new CISA eSIGNO contactless lock in addition to showcasing the latest security technology at IFSEC 2013 on 13th – 16th May.

With a growing portfolio of industry leading security technology, the Ingersoll Rand team will be on hand to advise on the latest trends as well as demonstrating Ingersoll Rand’s aptiQ multi-technology readers, the PegaSys intelligent access control system, and Interflex customised solutions. In addition, a range of Briton hardware including magnets, door closers, exit devices and mechanical locks will also be showcased on the stand.

The showcase will include a full-size Martin Roberts hotel performance steel doorset, with a CISA eSIGNO

electronic hotel lock and Briton ironmongery. As part of the live, interactive demonstration, electronic access control products including biometric handreaders will be linked up to Ingersoll Rand’s software solutions. The Ingersoll Rand team will also be providing a number short seminars and presentations designed with customers’ needs in mind.

Paul Taylor, UK Sales Leader Electronic Access Control Systems of Ingersoll Rand, said: “We’re delighted to be attending IFSEC 2013. This is one of the biggest exhibitions in the security industry and provides us with the perfect platform to showcase our latest security innovations and help businesses find the perfect solution for their security needs.

“In addition to providing demonstrations of the latest security hardware and software, the Ingersoll Rand team will be on hand to answer questions and advise on the latest innovations. We’ll also be running a number of competitions and promotions for visitors to the stand, including our own resident magician.”

All Ingersoll Rand products are designed with industry needs in mind and are backed up by Ingersoll Rand’s full design and project input capabilities, providing end to end solutions for all security needs.

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Tuesday, 16 April 2013

DOORFIT CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL TRADING

Alan George, Robert Neil and John Neil

As one of the UK’s leading suppliers of architectural ironmongery and garage doors, Doorfit is a familiar name to anyone in the industry and is celebrating a significant birthday this year, with 60 years of trading now under its belt.

To have been in business for six decades is a remarkable achievement, but as Sales Director Robert Neil recounts, the company was built on very solid foundations:

“The business was started by my father John Neil and his brother George back in 1953,” explains Robert. “They had both served in the Second World War and came back to their home in Quinton, Birmingham, to find work in local industry. My father found a position with Goodyear and George took a job with a builders merchant, but they were both keen to start their own business – they just needed to find the right sector.”

With George Neil already experienced in specification sales of architectural ironmongery, the brothers decided this would be the area in which to launch their fledgling company. The extensive re-building programmes that were springing up all over the West Midlands following the bombing attacks of the war meant the construction industry offered a secure future.

Doorfit Directors: Philip, John and Robert Neil

The name Doorfit was coined and in March 1953 the brothers started trading out of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. The turnover for the first year was £9000 and during these early years the brothers both lived with their parents, who agreed to waive the rent for a year or two to help them get the business established.

“It was a company founded on sound financial sense and both brothers were careful to make sure as much money as possible was kept in Doorfit,” recounts Robert. “My father even remembers a conversation with their accountant after the first year of trading, when the matter of wages was discussed - after they had told him they had not drawn any income and were living purely on savings the somewhat bemused accountant thought for a moment and said ‘I’m not sure the Revenue Department will accept that answer’!”

In fact, it was completely true and in an age where credit from banks was very hard to come by, the brothers managed on their savings for as long as they possibly could before finally drawing a wage from the business.

Birmingham Architectural Ironmongery Showroom

This careful approach paid off and soon Doorfit was an established and respected company, acting as an agent selling architectural ironmongery and sliding door gear on behalf of a number of major brands, including Henderson, Yale, Chubb, Union and Newman Tonks. The next big step came when an existing supplier, PC Henderson, asked the brothers if they would take on its new range of garage doors. From that point onwards, garage boors became an integral part of the Doorfit business, although it also represented something of a challenge, as there was the question of how to store garage doors in the Victorian terraced house that was then Doorfit’s base; some minor adjustments had to be made! A key figure in the development of the Garage Door Division was Alan George, who later became a Director of Doorfit and founder member of the Association of Garage Door Specialists. Alan is still with the company after 50 years and, unsurprisingly, is the longest serving member of staff.

Despite growing steadily over the years, the company has also been through its fair share of trials and tribulations, including a damaging fire in 1976 that ultimately resulted in a move to custom-built premises in Heaton Street in 1979. The premises have since been extended to meet the needs of the expanding business, but Doorfit has remained in the same location ever since.

Birmingham Garage Doors Showroom

George Neil sadly passed away in May 1980, but John continues to run Doorfit along with Robert and other son Philip, who both became Directors in 2000. Latterly, Doorfit has diversified into locksmith services by offering high security master key systems and in 2002 became a more substantial player in this market after buying local locksmith JHS Security.

With sixty years of successful trading behind them, Robert Neil believes that there will be many more Doorfit anniversaries to celebrate: “This company was founded as a family business with a solid work ethic and we remain so to this day,” he says, “so while many things have changed since 1953 our philosophy remains the same and we are looking forward to the next six decades with confidence!”