Tuesday 31 January 2017

Promotion takes Hörmann’s commercial department to the next level


Hörmann UK has strengthened its newly-formed commercial department with the promotion of Amy Fisher from estimating and field sales support manager to commercial manager.

Having worked at Hörmann for the past six years, Amy has accrued a wealth of knowledge and experience from her various positions within different departments at the company. Before starting her new role, Amy worked in the estimating department and in field sales support prior to that, which provided her with the relevant skills to excel as commercial manager.

In her new position, Amy will be responsible for managing over twenty members of staff across five sub-teams - reception, estimating, technical, trade sales and after sales. As commercial manager, Amy will be tasked with streamlining the way each team within the commercial department works, by putting robust and standardised procedures in place to help to improve operations and ensure that the customers experience is as seamless as possible.

Commenting on her recent promotion, Amy said:
“I’ve only been in my new position for a few weeks now, but I am really looking forward to developing the department to ensure that we provide our customers with the highest levels of support and service. I believe that by combining the departments into one, will not only give us much more visibility over what is happening within each area, but it will enable them to have a complete overview of our customer’s journey from purchase to aftercare.”

David Newcombe, managing director at Hormann (UK) Ltd., said:
“Ever since she joined the company, Amy has been a valued member of the team. We’re always looking at ways to improve our levels of customer service, and Amy’s promotion, as well as the investment we have put into the commercial department, will ensure that we can provide our customers with service levels that they expect from the UK’s leading door manufacturer.”

For more information about Hörmann or to find out more about its product range and service packages, call 01530 513000 or visit www.hormann.co.uk



Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently

Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner


* Read more current and archived articles on our dedicated website *

Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like this in return for a contribution towards our layout costs (£35 to £55 plus VAT), payable via PayPal or credit card  or receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).

We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.

To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.

If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will qualify for regular free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us.

For details on features and advertising rates please contact us or visit our website.

Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP Company Registration No. 06807833

Monday 30 January 2017

Powermatic Free Swing Door Closer - More than meets the eye



The key areas of door performance relate to fire and accessibility, with each governed by a variety of technical performance standards, building regulations and codes of practice.

Door closers play a vital role in ensuring that the door meets these requirements and, therefore, should be given more than passing consideration when it comes to product selection.

Choosing the cheapest door closer available may enable the door package to be competitively priced at tender, but this initial, short term saving may not be the most economic solution when it comes to whole life costing.

In addition, certain projects will require door closers which are, shall we say, less ordinary, door closers which deliver benefits beyond the minimum required fire and accessibility performance.

Design professionals, specifiers and facilities managers are becoming increasingly aware of the added benefits that concealed door closers can provide in areas such as safety, risk reduction, reliability and maintenance costs.

These factors can have a significant effect on the ability of the door closer, and fire door, to perform reliably, but also on the quality of the user experience in terms of safety, comfort and well-being, as well as on the aesthetics of the building.

The main reasons for a door closer failing to perform correctly are poor reliability and the likelihood of fire doors being wedged open.


Reliability

Failure of a door closer can lead to failure of the entire fire door to perform the duty for which it is intended; to keep fire and smoke at bay. In the case of fire, such a failure could be devastating.

Quality of design and manufacture, together with cycle testing of door closers, certainly provide some assurance of a product’s durability, but other factors can have a considerable effect on the ability of a door closer, and fire door, to function at all times.

The need to properly maintain a door closer during its life can impose an undesirable burden on building managers. Door closers such as Powermatic are designed to be maintenance-free and come with lengthy guarantees for added assurance.

Damage limitation

If a door closer is damaged, either through some misplaced prank or vandalism, this too can have a detrimental effect on the fire door’s performance, perhaps even stopping the door working all together.

In educational buildings and other public facilities, where the users’ duty of care may not be so high, such risks, whether accidental or deliberate, are significant.

Surface mounted door closers, with their obvious control boxes and mechanical arms can present a real temptation for pranksters, whereas concealed door closers, particularly jamb-mounted models, virtually eliminate such a risk. Samuel Heath’s Powermatic controlled, concealed door closers are invisible when the door is closed and have very few visible parts when the door is open, thereby reducing the likelihood of damage through vandalism.


Remove temptation
Wedging fire doors open will obviously prevent the fire door performing its primary function and should be avoided at all times. Despite notices, best practice guides and individual instructions, the practice still goes on, especially in care homes, but also in other facilities.

Removing the temptation to wedge the door open is the first step in resolving the issue. The solution is either to use hold-open devices or to use free swing door closers, such as Powermatic Free Swing which allows the door to operate manually until the door closer is activated by the building’s fire alarm system.

Risk reduction

There is one further element of safety and risk reduction that is probably not given consideration beyond specialist facilities and that is the risk of a door closer being used as a point of ligature.

Sensitive and uncomfortable as the subject might be, the risk should be recognised, perhaps particularly in educational learning and accommodation facilities.

Whilst full anti-ligature measures would be unnecessary, the risk can be significantly reduced by removing opportunity and certain types of concealed door closers can offer a useful alternative to their more obvious surface-mounted counterparts.


Aesthetic appeal

Great looking interiors are not the sole preserve of the designer who wishes to create interiors unencumbered by unattractive mechanical devices. Many health and care professionals recognise the contribution that more homely, less institutionalised interiors can make towards the well-being and recovery of clients in mental health, psychiatric and elderly care facilities.

The highly visible mechanical boxes and control arms that are unavoidable with surface-mounted door closers spoil the appearance of doors and decorative schemes, interfering with the designer’s vision. They can also result in interiors which have a functional rather than comfortable ambience.

Powermatic concealed door closers are jamb-mounted and present no such problems. Totally concealed when the door is closed and hardly noticeable when the door is open, such door closers offer the ideal solution for a wide variety of applications where aesthetics and comfort are valued.

Making the right choice
When selecting the right door closer for any fire or non-fire door situation, the first task will always be to ensure that the product meets the relevant performance requirements in terms of fire safety and accessibility. Once these criteria have been satisfied, other factors should be taken into consideration which can enhance the safety, comfort and well-being of the building’s users, and it is in such areas that Powermatic concealed door closers become the natural choice.

For more information go to www.concealeddoorclosers.com




Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently

Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner


* Read more current and archived articles on our dedicated website *

Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like this in return for a contribution towards our layout costs (£35 to £55 plus VAT), payable via PayPal or credit card  or receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).

We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.

To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.

If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will qualify for regular free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us.

For details on features and advertising rates please contact us or visit our website.

Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP Company Registration No. 06807833

Sunday 29 January 2017

Monte Carlo Classics Head Off from Paisley UK Start


A challenging 1300-mile drive lies ahead for twenty historic cars which left Paisley last week heading for the south of France in the classic Monte Carlo Rally.


It’s the fourth time the town – which is bidding to be the 2021 UK City of Culture – was the only British start point out of seven European cities including Stockholm, Lisbon and Barcelona.

In total around eighty cars left the start ramp outside Paisley Abbey in three separate categories.

The Historique class is being run for the 20th year and is restricted to car models which competed in the Monte Carlo Rallies between 1955 and 1980. It will run over eight days on open public roads with the cars and crews having undertaken a series of fourteen demanding test stages in the mountains of southern France.

The Classique event is for older cars from as early as 1911 to 1980 and follows the same route to Monte Carlo but does not include any test stages, the goal simply being to finish in Monte Carlo after checking in at a series of control points on the way.

Once again the event also features the popular Monte Heritage Runs which will follow on from the full-scale events and will take in a series of short classic routes in Scotland.


A crowd estimated at more than 10,000 gathered in the centre of Paisley with the magnificent backdrop of the Abbey to wave off the crews in a party atmosphere with lights, music, street food and pyrotechnics…..and working with staff from Renfrewshire Council and volunteers from many motorsport clubs in Scotland the organisers say it was the biggest and best yet.

At the wheel of one of the cars, an MG Midget, which is the official opening car for the Scottish start, was Douglas Anderson, the UK co-ordinator and the man responsible for bringing the Monte back to Scotland again in 2011. He was delighted with the turnout:
“This year’s Monte Start had all the ingredients to make it a unique mid-winter festival which lifted the spirits of all the folk from Paisley and beyond who come along each year to enjoy the wonderful carnival atmosphere.”
Well prepared for a chilly drive south was Andrew Goodfellow from Dundee and co-driver, his brother-in-law Derek Coghill and their 1930 Austin 7 Ulster open-topped 2-seater sports which will – hopefully – complete the drive to Monte Carlo.
Said Andrew: “What a fantastic opportunity this is to take part in this historic event and were both totally confident that we and the car will make it all the way. The only concern is the snow on the route through the Alps.” Their drive will raise funds for SAMH, the Scottish Association of Mental Health.

Also leaving the start ramp was an ex-BMC works Mini Cooper S which competed in the Monte Carlo Rally 50 years ago, finishing 6th overall in the hands of rally legend Paddy Hopkirk. It is being driven this time by Scottish rally enthusiasts Pat Haley and Mike Hyrons. 

Other cars taking part are a rare and original 1978 Ford Escort RS 2000 which had previously been on display in a car showroom in Wales, a 1960 Rover P4, affectionately named “Cuthbert” which spent its early life in South Africa along with a Sunbeam Stiletto, which was built nearby at the Linwood car plant and looks as good as it did when it rolled off the production line in 1968.

The event is supported by Renfrewshire Council. Provost Anne Hall said: Once again, the people of Renfrewshire supported the Monte in their numbers and the presence of the cars made it such a colourful and lively atmosphere.
“For Paisley to be joining various European capitals in hosting a start leg of this prestigious event is really raising our profile ahead of the UK City of Culture 2021 bid going in later this year.
“Once again, it was a pleasure to be able to flag the cars off and I would like to wish all the best to the drivers setting off for France tonight.”
More information can be found at www.monte.scot and www.paisley2021.co.uk



Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently

Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner


* Read more current and archived articles on our dedicated website *

Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like this in return for a contribution towards our layout costs (£35 to £55 plus VAT), payable via PayPal or credit card  or receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).

We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.

To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.

If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will qualify for regular free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us.

For details on features and advertising rates please contact us or visit our website.

Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP Company Registration No. 06807833

Saturday 28 January 2017

Highlighting the best in Architectural Ironmongery


A biennial awards event which highlights the best of architectural ironmongery is being sponsored for the fifth successive time by GEZE UK, world leaders in door, window and safety technology.


The GAI/RIBA Architectural Ironmongery Specification Awards will take place on 30 March, at RIBA’s head office, in London.

GEZE UK is sponsoring the Winner of Winners award for the third consecutive time. It will reward entire specification teams – architectural ironmongers and architect - and highlight the importance of the professional partnership between the two disciplines.

Nominations have shown architectural ironmongery at its best, enhancing not only the security, accessibility and safety of the building but also adding to its functionality and longevity.

Andy Howland, sales director of GEZE UK said: 
“GEZE UK is delighted to again be sponsoring the Winner of Winners category. It demonstrates the commitment we make as a company to support the specification market worldwide.
“Our dedicated teams work closely with architects and architectural ironmongers to achieve quality specifications, combining seamless designs, functionality and energy efficiency. This is the ideal award to which to put our name.”

For further information about the event visit www.gai.org.uk/events



Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently

Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner


* Read more current and archived articles on our dedicated website *

Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like this in return for a contribution towards our layout costs (£35 to £55 plus VAT), payable via PayPal or credit card  or receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).

We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.

To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.

If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will qualify for regular free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us.

For details on features and advertising rates please contact us or visit our website.

Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP Company Registration No. 06807833

Friday 27 January 2017

TwentyCi Digital Launch Enables Online Advertisers to Tap into Lucrative Homemover Market


With a purchasing power of £12 billion annually in the UK, homemovers are a hugely untapped target audience for advertisers, with each homemover spending an average of £10,000 for a variety of goods and services before, during and after a move. 

Life event marketing company TwentyCi is today launching its digital and programmatic division, TwentyCi Digital, which will enable advertisers and their agencies to reach known homemovers through programmatic advertising at the appropriate time for their product - as well as through other digital channels including social media, PPC and TV.

TwentyCi Digital's offering is based on the company's homemover database which is the biggest and richest of its kind in the UK, providing 99.6% coverage of the UK home buyers' market. It is constantly updated and typically comprises nine million homemovers. 

The database is built using a combination of factual offline and online transactional data such as online property searches, surveys, Energy Performance Certificates and estate agent activity. This enables TwentyCi to identify qualified homemovers and track them individually as they move through the homemover cycle.

TwentyCi has been managing data for advertisers for over 15 years and has already helped many major brands to reach homemovers through direct marketing. With the launch of TwentyCi Digital, the company can now enhance its work with advertisers and agencies by adding an extensive range of digital and social channels to the direct marketing channels it already provides. 

This means advertisers can send communications in real time at specific points of need for their product, adapting messaging and channel selection as a consumer moves through the process to maximise relevance and context.

Paul Hickey, Director of Digital Solutions at TwentyCi Digital explains, 
"Buying a house is the biggest investment that individuals make during their lifetime and leads directly to spend across many product categories. By identifying exactly where an individual consumer is within the six step homemover cycle - from Pre-Mover through to Move Homemaker - we make it possible for advertisers to reach home buyers at the exact time when they need their product, in a compelling and contextually appropriate way, using the right media channel. It's our use of factual data rather than intent data that ensures our clients' budgets work much harder."

TwentyCi Digital will enable advertisers to not only target home purchasers but also rental movers and is already being deployed across most major DSPs including Google DBM. Also the company's relationship with Sky and its targeted TV advertising technology, Sky AdSmart, means advertisers can target one million households known to be going through the homemover process while they watch TV shows like Game of Thrones.

By launching its programmatic digital offering the company is creating significant new opportunities for online consumer engagement, particularly in the financial services, retail, property, utilities, automotive and travel sectors.

To find out more visit www.twentyci.co.uk and run the video on the homepage.



Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently

Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner


* Read more current and archived articles on our dedicated website *

Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like this in return for a contribution towards our layout costs (£35 to £55 plus VAT), payable via PayPal or credit card  or receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).

We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.

To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.

If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will qualify for regular free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us.

For details on features and advertising rates please contact us or visit our website.

Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP Company Registration No. 06807833

Thursday 26 January 2017

Aperio® 2017 Training Course Dates Announced


ASSA ABLOY Access Control, has released the latest dates for its Aperio® training courses, offering a valuable overview of the many benefits to this innovative wireless locking technology.

The free, one-day course provides an informative insight into the many technological advantages of the Aperio® system, covering its intelligent hardware features, the different versions available, how it operates, product specifications and best practice for installation.


The course will also demonstrate the system’s intelligent software features, including the configuration of its wireless hub and pairing Aperio® devices. The day is then concluded with a troubleshooting and questions and answers session.

Aperio® is a smart technology that enables mechanical locks to be wirelessly linked to an existing access control system in a convenient and cost-effective way. Meeting BS EN 179 and BS EN 1125 standards, the technology enables organisations to connect more doors to an existing access control system while eliminating the challenge of lost keys by simply using existing cards.


Richard Hall, Technical Sales Support Manager at ASSA ABLOY Access Control, explains:
“The Aperio® course is run at our dedicated ASSA ABLOY Academy in Wolverhampton, a centre of excellence for training. More than 200 people benefitted from the course in 2016, and we look forward to welcoming many more this year.
“The course provides a valuable opportunity for security professionals to understand how integrating Aperio® technology could help organisations cut energy costs, reduce maintenance time and its associated costs, and help deliver a flexible access control solution.
“Suitable for access control manufacturers, installers, locksmiths, specifiers and engineers, there is also the opportunity to combine a training course with a visit to our on-site manufacturing facility.”

The available training dates are as follows:

• 25th January

• 22nd February

• 29th March

• 26th April

• 31st May

• 28th June

• 26th July

• 30th August

• 27th September

• 25th October

• 29th November

• 27th December

For larger companies wishing to book a place on the Aperio® training course, there may be the option to specify a separate training date. A buffet lunch and refreshments throughout the day are also provided.

To book a place on the scheme, simply contact Claire Jones at claire.jones@assaabloy.com.

For further information on ASSA ABLOY Access Control and the Aperio® solution, please click here.




Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently

Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner


* Read more current and archived articles on our dedicated website *

Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like this in return for a contribution towards our layout costs (£35 to £55 plus VAT), payable via PayPal or credit card  or receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).

We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.

To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.

If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will qualify for regular free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us.

For details on features and advertising rates please contact us or visit our website.

Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP Company Registration No. 06807833

Wednesday 25 January 2017

Teckentrup Thermally Broken Insulated Steel Door iso+


Teckentrup has introduced a thermally broken multi-purpose steel doorset suitable as an external door for any application where energy performance is important within the private and commercial sector.

Teckentrup DF iso+ dw 62-1 Door
Teckentrup DF iso+ dw 62-1 door is designed to exceed energy efficiency guidelines, and in comparison to conventional multi-purpose doors it improves thermal insulation by up to 40%.

Both frame and door leaf are insulated and the frame is thermally separated.

The door fulfils the specifications of DIN EN 14351-1 and it is labelled with a CE mark as per building product guidelines for external doors.

Thanks to additional sound insulation (max. 38 dB) the door manages to achieve an outstanding UD value of 1.0 W/(m²k). iso+ is optionally available in a burglar-resistant RC 2 version.

Conventional Door
For details of the ISO+ call Jim Rodger at Teckentrup UK Limited on 01925 924050 or visit www.teckentrupdepot.co.uk



Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently

Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner


* Read more current and archived articles on our dedicated website *

Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like this in return for a contribution towards our layout costs (£35 to £55 plus VAT), payable via PayPal or credit card  or receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).

We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.

To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.

If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will qualify for regular free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us.

For details on features and advertising rates please contact us or visit our website.

Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP Company Registration No. 06807833

Tuesday 24 January 2017

Allegion’s Perfect Pair from Cisa Offers Seamless Room Locking Solutions


Elegant Italian design, contactless experience and no wiring – these features form the basis for Allegion’s CISA eGO and eSIGNO leading locking solutions, made to create a seamless customer experience in the hospitality industry.

According to PwC’s ongoing Consumer Intelligence Series, which interviewed more than 1,000 business and leisure travelers, service and experience is valued very highly by hospitality customers. In fact, 26 percent of business travelers make it their most valued factor a hotel can offer, while 23 percent of leisure travelers do as well.

Business travellers of all ages, along with leisure travellers ages 30+, also value personalised experiences, according to the survey. An efficient and courteous check-in process is essential to achieve a positive guest experience and for driving customer loyalty.

With this in mind, CISA’s eGO and eSIGNO contactless locks are specified with near-field communications technology, making them user-friendly for guests, who simply have to hold the keycard to the lock to gain access to approved rooms. The locks are also powered by off-the-shelf batteries and do not require wiring, making them easy to fit for first time installations and for retrofitting.

“Gaining customer loyalty in hospitality requires attention to even the smallest detail,” said Trevor Ball, area sales manager for Hospitality and Electronic Access Control of Allegion. “We know that what guests want after travelling long distances is a smooth check-in process, and contactless functionality makes a real difference between frustration and delight.”
While both locks stem from the same family, the eSIGNO offers the additional benefit of being able to be tied to an online system. This offers hotel operations staff greater usability and security benefits. The system means staff can remotely manage cards, monitor any unusual events or be warned of card and battery expiry. It also allows users to see a door’s status, e.g. if the door is open, in privacy mode, in operation or how many attempts there have been made to open the door.

“While guests’ convenience is a high priority, the locks have also been developed to give better control over security for hoteliers. With room security making headlines recently, it was crucial that we developed our locks to be as sophisticated as possible in terms of security, while also being easy to use for staff,” added Ball.

Developed in Italy, the locks have inherited an Italian chic and elegant design. Both locks’ external and internal plates are made from aluminium. eGO is available in a single style with the handle cover in nylon black plastic and finished in satin silver, while the more premium eSIGNO is available in a range of styles and colours.

For more information on the CISA eGO and eSIGNO, please contact Allegion directly on 0121 380 2400.

More information on CISA’s systems and hardware is available here: www.allegion.com/uk




Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently

Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner


* Read more current and archived articles on our dedicated website *

Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like this in return for a contribution towards our layout costs (£35 to £55 plus VAT), payable via PayPal or credit card  or receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).

We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.

To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.

If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will qualify for regular free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us.

For details on features and advertising rates please contact us or visit our website.

Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP Company Registration No. 06807833

Monday 23 January 2017

How Secure Are Remote Controlled Garage Doors?


Garage Door Security: Technology vs Common Sense

Almost every day there seems to be something in the news about the latest company to be hacked or articles questioning the security of IOT (Internet of Things) connected devices. But what about the radio controls fitted to automated garage doors and gates?

British homeowners considering an automated garage door purchase are likely to have done a lot of research on the subject prior to seeking quotes. One of the questions that may result from this research is about the security level claimed by garage door manufacturers.

Whilst it may be considered difficult to ask searching questions about an automated garage door’s resilience to code grabbers and digital jammers, it is certainly something that should be explored because many brands have different radio control technology.

In the sections that follow we have charted the history of remote controls revealing how secure both early and present day garage door operators are, raising the question as to whether owners of older automated garage doors need to be concerned.

How Garage Door Security Technology Has Evolved

Garage doors are certainly more secure than they used to be, following significant improvements made over the last 8 to 10 years to how automated garage doors work.

Technical advancements include the implementation by manufacturers, such as Hormann, Garador, Marantec, Seip, Sommer and Liftmaster, of rolling code technology and adoption of 418 MHz, 433 MHz and the more up to date 868 MHz remote control frequencies.

With rolling code technology, the code on which remote controls work is modified with each individual door activation using a slightly different frequency. The code rolls onto the next random code for the next and subsequent door cycle. This technology evolved out of necessity following an increasing number of houses in the same neighbourhoods having popular brand remote control garage doors installed.

Dipswitches Used to Expand the Range of Door Frequencies

It was typical in 1960’s America for owners of remote control hand transmitters to accidently open their neighbour’s garage door due to the range of door frequencies being very limited.

Even in the late 1970’s, here in the UK, some early garage door openers were sold with dedicated code handsets for which there were as few as 10 frequency variants!

Comments such as this were commonplace back then:

“I came home and found my garage door open. Little did I know that the Jacksons next door had bought the same model of garage door operator last week.”

Manufacturers’ quickly implemented 9 dipswitches in the handsets to allow owners to set switch values of 0 or 1, allowing for a total of 512 different radio frequencies. Later a 12-dipswitch system was added to provide a total of 4096 different radio frequencies. The corresponding dipswitch combination was set in the motor itself, which received the signal. Homeowners were also free to set their own combinations.

Modified Children’s Toy Allows 70’s and 80’s Doors to Be Easily Opened

Technology enthusiasts discovered that a simple Mattel ‘I’m-Me’ children’s toy could be modified to send out all the frequency combinations to a garage door over a very short space of time, initially taking approximately 30 minutes to scan for a result.

Potentially a burglar could sit outside a property in a car, within the normal 50 metre range of the transmitters, and wait until the unit emitted the correct frequency to open the door.

However, the likelihood of the average burglar being able to harness such technology without programming experience or a more in-depth understanding of electronics is slim.

Improved versions got the scan time down to 6 minutes. The waiting time was usually much less however, because the receivers that accept the signal from the hand transmitter and trigger the motor to open the door, used a bit shift register which meant that once it received just part of the code it would activate.

The actual security level of these openers, popular in the 1970s and 1980s, was therefore in reality, much lower than the basic maths would lead people to believe.

With the average lifespan of the early, robustly made units being up to 30 years, it is easy to calculate that tens of thousands of such units are still in use today.

Rolljam Signal Grabber Devices Circumvent Modern Garage Door Security

As more secure frequencies were used and rolling code technology was developed by the garage door remote manufacturers such as Hormann, Garador, Marantec, Seip, Sommer and Liftmaster, the criminals upped their game as well.

Signal Grabber Devices have long since been available to defeat the technology used on most modern cars, lorries, keyless entry systems and modern garage door openers.

A criminal using a signal grabber device simply sits in a car nearby and waits for the home or car owner to use their key fob. The device grabs the signal and records it.  The home or car owner would notice that the signal had not been received by the car or garage door and would have to press the hand transmitter again. They would simply view the first failed press of the button as a malfunction, press again and carry on as normal. Later, the code grabber could be used to emit the captured frequency and open the car or garage.

Are Modern Garage Doors Still Susceptible to Code Jammers?

Even rolling code technology, now common in all the leading garage door operators, can be beaten. The criminal devices employed adopt a system, which in simple terms blocks and records the signal emitted by the press of the key fob button by the homeowner.

When the handset button is initially pressed, the criminal device sends out “frequency noise” on the common frequencies used by garage door remotes hence “jamming” or scrambling the ability of the intended receiver to correctly receive the signal.

A second device records this code. When the user sees that the first press has failed and presses the button again, the Rolljam device records this second code and simultaneously emits the first recorded code. The first replayed code activates the garage door and all appears normal.  The captured second signal is stored by the criminal and can be used once the coast is clear to get into the garage.

The good news is that the level of encryption used by companies such as Hormann and Garador on their series 3 bi-secur rolling code garage door operators uses the same 128-bit encryption as used by the banks for the online banking. Currently, other manufacturers who use similar 128-bit encryption technology on some or all their controls are Sommer, Seip, Teckentrup and Marantec.


What Actions Should be Taken?

The reassuring common sense lesson from the rather sobering facts above about the hacking of garage door rolling code remote control systems is that statistically such entry methods are very rarely used by criminals.

Most break-ins on garage doors are targeted at old style manual or automatic up and over garage doors. Doors with a single sprung latch at the top centre of the up and over door can easily be forced inwards with moderate force or levered with a screwdriver, a more readily available criminal tool than an electric signal jammer, recorder and emitter.

Alex MacKay, Hormann UK’s technical expert said:

“Code grabbers sold online to low end criminals for getting into garages and cars will not work on Hormann motors. The level of encryption used is the same level as bank cash machines. Criminals who can hack cash machines and banks generally don’t bother even trying to get into people’s garages to steal tools or bikes.”

Sales opportunities

As a dealer, you probably have an archive of customers with older automated garage doors or shutters, so it may be worth doing some promotional work and special offers to get them to update either their old radio controls or the operator itself.

And for manual doors susceptible to forced entry, a special offer to either automate the existing door or replace it with a model fitted with higher security would undoubtedly lead to increased sales.

Whether customers need to do this or not depends on what they are prepared to lose. If they store tools or there is an access door from their garage into the house, then the cost of improving their garage door security could prove worthwhile.

A survey by the RAC in May 2014 revealed that 62% of car owners do not park their car in the garage anymore and an article by Ecclesiastical Insurance reveals that homeowners keep goods in their garage worth around £2500.

Author: Mark Arridge, Arridge Garage Doors Limited





Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently

Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner


* Read more current and archived articles on our dedicated website *

Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like this in return for a contribution towards our layout costs (£35 to £55 plus VAT), payable via PayPal or credit card  or receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).

We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.

To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.

If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will qualify for regular free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us.

For details on features and advertising rates please contact us or visit our website.

Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP Company Registration No. 06807833

Sunday 22 January 2017

New Document File will transform Classic Car History



A brand new classic car history file, designed to set a new industry standard in formalising the way in which a cars history is documented, will be launched at the Practical Classics’ Classic Car and Restoration Show in April.

The new De Bowers motor file helps classic car owners and sellers easily organise and document a car’s history, providing complete, comprehensive, clear and concise sections in which to display vital paperwork.

The high quality, hand-crafted British leather folder features three sections, Legal, Technical and Provenance, to cover items such as registration, modification history, restoration, and vehicle test history. Each section is clearly labelled and ordered for importance of use, meaning that owners can easily document their cars history, and potential buyers can quickly find the information they are looking for.

Speaking ahead of the launch of the new product, managing director of De Bowers, Kim De Bowers, said:

“A quality history file and documentation is a vital component of a car’s value, and can make or break a sale. The idea for the product came about when I had a stressful and unnecessary buying experience, struggling to find important documentation as part of the cars paperwork. To my disbelief no folder existed on the market that was able to organise documents for classic car owners in a simple, concise way. So I decided to produce it myself!”

The importance of a good history file to a car’s value and saleability should not be underestimated. In fact there is a legal precedent that supports this importance.

In the case of Hubbard vs Middlebridge Scimitar Ltd in 1990 presided over by Mr Justice Otton, the Law Courts of London stated that on the question of a car's ownership, a Continuous History is defined by, "A full unbroken and authentic set of documents which identify in a reliable manner who has owned the car, the uses that it has been put to and a description of its service history and any restoration, rebuilding, or reconstruction work that the car has experienced throughout its life since originally leaving the factory".

“A De Bowers history file does exactly this and transforms inert paperwork into a clear concise chain of events that create trust, aids security and ownership title, makes the buying and selling experience more pleasurable, whilst increasing the value of a car, and simultaneously creating a valuable asset for any classic vehicle. I hope that De Bowers will set the industry standard for classic car provenance", added Kim.

For more information on De Bowers please visit www.debowers.co.uk or see the new file on Stand CT92 and CT93 at the Practical Classics’ Classic Car and Restoration Show -  www.necrestorationshow.com.





Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently

Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner


* Read more current and archived articles on our dedicated website *

Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like this in return for a contribution towards our layout costs (£35 to £55 plus VAT), payable via PayPal or credit card  or receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).

We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.

To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.

If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will qualify for regular free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us.

For details on features and advertising rates please contact us or visit our website.

Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP Company Registration No. 06807833

Saturday 21 January 2017

SQUIRE kicks off sponsorship deal with RB Coaching


Pictured: John Squire (centre) and Ryan Byrne (centre right)
celebrate RB Coaching’s new sponsorship deal with
RB coaches (backrow) and young players.

British security specialist Squire has announced a sponsorship deal with RB Coaching to help develop the skills of budding young footballers across the Midlands.

Squire’s support will enable RB Coaching to expand its 1to1, 8to1 and Futsal coaching programmes for aspiring 7 to 18 year footballers who are seeking individual improvement to their own game.

Based in the West Midlands RB Coaching has helped many players who are affiliated to professional clubs and grassroots teams fulfil their individual potential.

RB Coaching was set up three years ago by UEFA licensed coach Ryan Byrne, who is a former Nottingham Forest Academy player and semi-professional himself.

His personal development training technique is so popular, 29-year old Ryan now has seven coaches who train over 200 children across its three 8to1 academy centres in Solihull, Aston and Daventry, and its brand new Futsal development centre in Coventry.

Many RB members have gone on to represent professional clubs across the Midlands.

CEO John Squire was so impressed by the training his 11-year old son Arthur received from Ryan and his coaching team, that he wanted to support their business plans.

John Squire said: “I got involved with RB Coaching two years ago when we were looking for coaching for my son. We found it difficult to find good quality coaching and someone recommended me to Ryan.
“Since then Arthur has progressed massively as a player and is now at a much higher level than before.
“I could see the huge benefit it was to him and so, as a company, we wanted to get behind Ryan to help him expand his coaching network to enable others to become much better footballers.
“There really isn’t the infrastructure out there at grass roots football to enable this to happen.
“What makes the real difference is the way RB Coaching engages both body and mind in their one to one training techniques, just like top coaches.
“It’s a great concept, that’s why we’re proud to help Ryan promote coaching to more youngsters of all abilities.”


“Squire will support RB Coaching’s plans to extend its coaching network”, explained Ryan.
Ryan said: “We’ve got big plans to expand our coaching centres across the Midlands and it’s fantastic to have such a high calibre brand as Squire on board. They can’t do enough for us and we appreciate it so much.”

RB Coaching specialises in 1to1 and small group play for both outfield and budding goalkeepers. It is currently the only UK development centre/academy to work closely with parents in the development of their child’s football journey.

Through its parent education programme, RB offers regular practical parent clinics and online webinars as well as interactive DVDs to help inspire and upskill parents’ knowledge of techniques and psychological strategies, which can assist their child’s development as a player.
RB coach Tony Lightwood added: “As a result of working closely with the parents, we are finding that our players’ performances have reached a new level. The parents for me, are the most important people in the cycle of development.”

About Squire

Squire has been at the forefront of international lock-making for over 235 years.

As an eighth generation, independent family-owned British lock manufacturer, Squire’s experience in lock-making is unrivalled with the highest quality, performance-led products.

Technological innovation is its trademark, producing market-leading security solutions to world-class standards for the home, for business and on the move.

Manufactured using superior design capabilities and the latest production methods, the result is a range of award winning security products for a diverse range of applications to meet ever-evolving security needs.

Squire is recognised for some of the most technologically advanced and engineered products in the lockmaking and cycle security markets, with its successful research and development team being based in the UK.

Contact Squire on 01902 308050, visit www.squirelocks.co.uk or email info@henry-squire.co.uk





Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently

Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner


* Read more current and archived articles on our dedicated website *

Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like this in return for a contribution towards our layout costs (£35 to £55 plus VAT), payable via PayPal or credit card  or receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).

We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.

To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.

If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will qualify for regular free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us.

For details on features and advertising rates please contact us or visit our website.

Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP Company Registration No. 06807833

Friday 20 January 2017

Yale to exhibit at FIT Show 2017!


Yale Door and Window Solutions will be exhibiting on stand C8 at this year’s FIT Show (NEC, Birmingham from 23rd – 25th May 2017). The three-day event is the UK’s only trade show for the window, door, conservatory and double-glazing industry.

Yale will be exhibiting its innovative range of Smart Living products at the show, alongside a limited selection of traditional hardware. This includes the brand new Conexis™ L1 smart door lock that operates from a smart phone.

Paul Atkinson, Sales Director for Yale DWS, commented:
“The FIT Show is always an important date in the calendar. It provides a great opportunity to network with our customers and potential new stockists, as well meeting face-to-face with key press contacts. 
“The move to the NEC is a clear reflection of the growth that both the show itself, and industry as a whole, has experienced in recent years. We’re excited to be a part of the upcoming event and look forward to showcasing our exciting range of connected security products and particularly the connected door lock.”

For further information about Yale Door and Window Solutions, please visit www.yaledws.co.uk or alternatively call 01902 366800. For more information about FIT Show 2017, please visit www.fitshow.co.uk



Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently

Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner


* Read more current and archived articles on our dedicated website *

Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like this in return for a contribution towards our layout costs (£35 to £55 plus VAT), payable via PayPal or credit card  or receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).

We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.

To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.

If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will qualify for regular free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us.

For details on features and advertising rates please contact us or visit our website.

Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP Company Registration No. 06807833