The Door Industry Journal: April 2026

Friday, 3 April 2026

Fire Shutter Compliance: A Tested Solution for Servery Applications

With fire legislation under increasing scrutiny, compliance in fire-rated shutter installations has never been more critical. Leading industrial door manufacturer and trade supplier Alliance Door Engineering is responding decisively to recent clarification surrounding fire shutter certification.

Following guidance issued by the Door & Hardware Federation (DHF), the industry has been alerted to the fact that certification for fire-resistant roller shutters applies only to products tested in their exact configuration. In particular, shutters that do not close fully to the floor — such as those installed over servery hatches — require specific audited furnace testing for that application.

Although fire shutters have been required to meet EN 16034:2014 and EN 13241:1:2013 since November 2019, ongoing audits by independent certification bodies have confirmed that compliance cannot be assumed for counter-top installations unless the design has been formally tested in that format. Without this evidence, CE or UKCA marking cannot be legitimately applied.

For installers, contractors and specifiers, this presents a clear compliance risk.

Wigan-based Alliance Door Engineering is one of only a select number of UK manufacturers to have successfully completed audited furnace testing for a fire-rated roller shutter in a counter-top (servery) application. This ensures that its solution is not only certified, but certified for the precise real-world scenario in which it is installed.

To further support the trade, Alliance now provides comprehensive structural requirement drawings for steel, masonry and partition wall constructions. These detailed installation guidelines help ensure that site conditions mirror the original test criteria — including correct substrate construction and approved fixings — safeguarding compliance from specification through to handover.

In an environment where responsibility and accountability are under increasing scrutiny, specifying a fully tested and application-specific solution removes uncertainty. By choosing Alliance’s fire-rated roller shutters, installers and end users benefit from demonstrable compliance, reduced risk and complete peace of mind.

For more information about the comprehensive range of high-performance industrial doors and shutters that Alliance Door Engineering supplies to the trade, contact their sales department on 01942 683601, or email: sales@alliancedoors.co.uk

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Thursday, 2 April 2026

Trojon’s bright idea

New integrated LED light strip and box strengthener combines two common installer requests.

A new integrated LED light strip and box strengthener from Trojon Roller Doors has been developed to address two of the most common requests from garage door installers, bringing lighting and structural support together in a single component.

Set to launch this spring, the product combines an LED lighting strip with a box strengthener, offering installers a practical way to enhance both the functionality and finish of a garage door installation.

Two installer requests in one solution

When specifying garage doors, installers are frequently asked for two things: external lighting above the door, and additional support to reinforce the door box. Rather than providing separate accessories, Trojon’s new design integrates both functions into a single product.

Additionally, the new strengthener will solve another big issue faced by homeowners – that of the hood rattling in strong winds.

The LED strip sits neatly above the garage door, providing external illumination while also acting as a structural reinforcement for the door box. By combining lighting and strengthening into one element, the product reduces the number of components needed and simplifies the overall installation process.

For John Munday, owner of Trojon Roller Doors, and designer of this new product; it is a straightforward idea, but one that reflects the practical requirements installers encounter on site every day.

Flexible installation options

Flexibility was central to the product’s development. The integrated LED light strip can be installed at the same time as a new garage door, giving homeowners immediate exterior lighting.

It can also be retrofitted to existing doors, offering installers a solution when customers want to upgrade the exterior of their garage at a later date.

The lighting can be configured in different ways depending on the application. For example, it can be set to activate automatically when the garage door is operated, providing immediate illumination outside the door. This is especially useful for driveways, paths, and entryways where extra visibility improves safety and convenience.

Alternatively, the LED strip can function as a standalone light source, offering a permanent exterior lighting feature above the garage.

Designed to integrate with the door

Alongside functionality, appearance has also been considered in the design. The LED strip is supplied in white as standard, but Trojon laminates the units in-house so they can match the finish of the garage door. This allows the strip to blend seamlessly with the door’s design rather than appearing as an afterthought.

As garages increasingly serve multiple purposes and are part of the overall home frontage, homeowners are more conscious of aesthetics. A coordinated finish ensures the lighting feature feels like a natural and integrated part of the installation.

Practical benefits for installers

Combining lighting and structural reinforcement into a single component offers clear practical advantages.

By reducing the number of separate elements required, installations are quicker, simpler, and easier to specify. Installers no longer need to source and fit separate lighting and strengthening components, saving time and effort on site.

At the same time, the structural element helps support the door box, contributing to the long-term durability and stability of the door system.

This dual-purpose approach adds value both structurally and aesthetically without adding complexity to the installation.

A small change that makes a big difference

Innovation in the garage door sector is often about practical improvements that make installations simpler and the finished system more functional for homeowners.

By combining two commonly requested features into a single component, Trojon’s new LED light strip and box strengthener delivers exactly that kind of improvement.

More information is available at www.trojonrollerdoors.co.uk

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Wednesday, 1 April 2026

Strengthening Leadership: Inside Ellard’s New Senior Management Team

As demand grows for smarter products, faster response times and deeper collaboration with our customers, we took a step back to look at how our leadership structure was serving both our customers and our people. What became clear was that to keep delivering real value, we needed a sharper focus where it matters most.

That led to a strategic restructure of our Senior Management Team, splitting what was previously a broad commercial remit into two distinct leadership roles: Jeff Monks, as Head of Product and Adam Robinson, as Head of Sales. We also welcomed a new Head of Finance, Claire Newns, who joined the business three months ago. This addition strengthens the foundations of the business, bringing greater financial clarity, control and long-term planning to support sustainable growth.

This new structure allows us to give equal weight to three critical areas of the customer experience. A dedicated focus on product innovation and development, ensuring our solutions meet real-world installation and performance demands. A stronger emphasis on sales, relationships and service, making it easier for customers to work with us at every stage, and a robust financial framework that supports smarter investment, resilience and scale.

The result is a leadership team built around clarity, accountability and customer impact. It enables faster decision-making, closer collaboration between teams, and a more seamless journey from product development through to sales, delivery and after-sales support.

Online, Mark Molyneux, Ellard's Managing Director, introduces our Senior Management structure and explains how this change helps us stay agile, aligned and focused on what matters most: delivering better outcomes for our customers.

You can also watch individual videos from Adam, Jeff and Claire, to get to know them better, understand their roles, and hear directly how they’re helping shape Ellard’s future.

www.ellard.co.uk

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