Q: What do specifiers look for in doorsets?
A: Specifiers today are rarely looking for security on its own. They want a doorset that delivers proven intrusion resistance, fire performance, durability, thermal efficiency, compliant escape hardware and a high-quality finish. This is driving demand for third-party tested steel doorsets as customers increasingly look for verified performance rather than relying on manufacturer claims. There is also an expectation that doors arrive fully assembled with pre-fitted hardware, enabling quicker installation with less reliance on site interpretation. We’ve seen a growing interest in multi-performing doorsets such as GLAS-DOR, OUTA-DOR THERM and SECUR-DOR 2.1, reflecting a clear shift towards combining strong technical performance alongside visual quality. The key is not compromise, but choosing the right certified door system and tailoring it to the project, so it delivers exactly the level of performance needed without being over- or underspecified.
Q: How do you balance these expectations?
A: The balance comes from designing the doorset as a complete system. Security starts with the fundamentals, such as leaf construction, frame strength, and hardware selection. Performance extends into fire resistance, acoustic control, thermal transmittance, corrosion resistance and operational durability. Design quality comes in when those requirements are integrated properly, with the right flush detailing, glazing, and colour choice. To get Secured by Design approval, a doorset needs to prove enhanced security by meeting a certified security standard such as PAS 24 or LPS1175, both of which test how well a door can resist forced entry.
Q: How do you keep ahead of developments?
A: From a product and compliance perspective, the key is to keep up with changes in standards, regulations, and security threats, and then turn those changes into practical design decisions. Our approach is built around continual investment in independent testing and certifications with organisations including Secured by Design (SBD), Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) and United Kingdom Testing and Certification (UKTC).
Q: What is Secured by Design, and why does it matter?
A: Secured by Design is a recognised police-backed accreditation scheme that identifies security products proven to meet defined performance standards. That matters because it gives specifiers, contractors, and end users another level of assurance that a doorset has not only been tested, but assessed against standards intended to reduce vulnerability to criminal attack. SBD-approved doorsets are underpinned by tested standards, supporting safer access strategies and can help satisfy planning and insurer expectations.
A: It influences the process from the very beginning. If security compliance is treated as a late-stage add-on, the product usually becomes over-engineered, commercially inefficient or difficult to certify. We begin by defining the risk level, use case and certification route at the concept stage, then develop the leaf, frame, reinforcement, hardware and ancillary details around that intended performance level. This is crucial when a doorset needs to meet multiple criteria at once. In practice, Secured by Design and its underlying standards influence key decisions from hinge specification to vision panel design, louvre selection and threshold arrangement. Product development, therefore, starts with the end performance requirement and works backwards into the design, rather than starting with a generic door and trying to meet compliance afterwards.
Q: How can you recognise a Secured by Design-approved door?
A: The most reliable way to recognise an SBD-approved door is through the manufacturer’s certification and product documentation, not visual inspection alone. Specifiers should look for clear evidence of Secured by Design approval alongside the relevant test standard, such as PAS 24 (2022) or another accepted route, and ensure the supplied hardware and build specification match the certified version. Reputable manufacturers will support that with technical data sheets, certification references and guidance on the scope of approval.
A: Our Secured by Design-approved doorsets include SECUR-DOR 2.1, TUFF-DOR 2.1, 3 and TUFF-VENT. SECUR-DOR 2.1 is our most versatile entry-level security doorset, certified to PAS 24 (2022), tested to the STS 201 security standard. It is designed to resist opportunist forced entry methods typically associated with low to medium risk settings such as residential and social housing. Its development focused on delivering a genuine security upgrade that remained commercially accessible, which is why we also worked on cost-effective, tested panic hardware in partnership with HOPPE (UK). TUFF-DOR 2.1 takes security further with LPCB certification to LPS 1175 B3 (Issue 8). TUFF-VENT meets a specific need for continuous airflow without compromising security, providing a fully louvred solution for plant rooms, service areas and other ventilation-critical spaces that still require a tested security level. Across all three SBD-approved solutions, the development principle is the same. We are solving a real application problem with third-party tested evidence rather than asking a standard door to do a specialist job.
Q: What is it like being a Secured by Design member?
A: Being a Secured by Design member reflects our commitment to meeting recognised security principles and maintaining independently tested standards, while also helping to differentiate our products in the market by demonstrating alignment with a police-backed benchmark. As a Secured by Design member, we build confidence with architects, main contractors, and end users by assuring that our doorsets have verified security performance. This helps reduce specification risk, improve protection, and ensure doorsets are designed and tested to perform under realistic attack conditions.
A: Yes, particularly those that respond directly to industry challenges. A good example is TUFF-VENT, which resolves the long-standing conflict between ventilation and security. Projects often need continuous airflow without compromising protection, and TUFF-VENT addresses that by delivering a fully louvred doorset which is PAS 24-certified and Secured by Design-approved, closing an important specification gap. More broadly, we are seeing strong progress in application-specific solutions. Innovations such as RISER-DOR, a specialist doorset designed for riser shaft applications, show where the market is heading – away from one-size-fits-all and towards solutions designed to solve specific challenges, whether that is fire protection, thermal efficiency or installation practicality. The most important innovation, though, is the continuing move towards integrated, certified, project-ready systems that make life easier for specifiers and installers while improving confidence in the finished building.
Q: What’s next for Robust?
A: Next for Robust is disciplined expansion, increasing capacity, deepening certification coverage and continuing to simplify specification and installation for the market. Since relocating in 2024 to a 7,900m² facility, we have the capacity to scale intelligently, extending our range of technically robust, third-party certified doorsets that solve real project problems. At the same time, there is a strong focus on making those solutions easier to specify and install consistently, because compliance only has real value if it can be delivered in practice.”
Founded in 1999, Robust UK has grown from a small manufacturer into one of the UK’s leading specialists in steel door solutions. Today, Robust’s range extends far beyond general-purpose steel doors to include certified fire, security, thermal, glazed, louvred and other specialist applications.
For more information on Secured by Design approved security doorsets, visit: https://www.robust-uk.com/ or contact 01782 592900 / sales@robust-uk.com
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