Door Industry Journal - Spring 2017

THE door industry journal spring 2017 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 55 garage doors feature door operators for decades now. We have had all our modern garage door operators to date type-tested and certified with doors from MOST MAJOR (and some minor) European door manufacturers. We haven’t just tested for safety, we have also tested for reliability, durability and security and we continue to test week in week out at our purpose built facility in Kirchheim, Germany. Download the full list here: https://goo.gl/btHd5S Now, you may think it sounds like SOMMER know what they’re doing, so I want to use their operators with my chosen brand of doors. But wait, I can’t, because I’m being told that “It’s ILLEGAL to mix and match” , “we can’t honour the warranty on the door”, “It’s far too complicated for you to understand, you installers don’t understand how difficult it is to comply. Just buy the whole package from the same manufacturer and then you don’t have to worry.” This is not true! In fact, it depends on who makes your operator and this is precisely where SOMMER stands out from the crowd. This is how easy it is to be compliant with SOMMER operators: Step 1: Buy and install any door from a major manufacturer in the UK or Europe from our tested list. Complete a simple, one page Declaration of Conformity (DoC) document where you fill in your name, company details and door number. It’s easier than booking a flight. Risk assessment is of course mandatory for the installation of any machine regardless of buying the door and operator from the same manufacturer or not. Step 2: Stick a CE label on the back of the door, fill in the blanks on the label - door number, phone number, company details and door type. Step 3: Keep a copy of the DoC (Declaration of conformity) signed by your customer in your office files or on your company PC. Step 4: Keep a technical file on all the door/operator combinations you install. It’s not as technical as it sounds. Just keep the above information together in a file in your system and know that Sommer have all the certification readily available should you ever need to submit a complete technical document in the event of an accident. It’s that simple! Because when you use SOMMER, the hard work is already done. We’ve tested for safety, reliability, durability and security and we have the certificates readily available should you ever need to produce them. We are amongst the very small number of operator manufacturers anywhere in the world who take their responsibility this seriously and take this tricky, expensive and time-consuming task away from our customers. Step 5: If you are fitting a SOMMER operator to an existing door you can skip this step as it does not apply. If you are installing a SOMMER operator and a new door, industry guidance stipulates that you produce a DoP (Declaration of Performance). This is something that is actually quite easy, because most of the information needed can be taken from the DoP supplied with the door you are fitting. If needed, SOMMER can help you to produce your own templates for ongoing use. So, providing the door you are fitting is on our tested list (most popular doors are), you only need to add a few details to your own version of the DoP; the test house we used for testing (this appears in two places) and declare “Pass” under the “safe operating forces” section. This simplified process is our advantage, gained from the hard work we do at SOMMER to assist our valued customers. Let me mention just one last thing regarding door warranty: Do you expect your chosen car manufacturer to honour the chassis or paintwork warranty on your car, no matter which reputable brand of tyres you decide to fit? Of course you do! Then why accept any less with the doors you install? Stop letting the industry rumour mill stop you from selling products and product combinations that allow you to stand out from the crowd and be different. So, if it feels stagnant in your area, with everyone selling the same stuff and being competitive is just a matter of price against dictated price, contact SOMMER and DOCO and let us give you a unique selling point. Call us today on 01904 608 787 for a friendly chat with one of our representatives in your area. More information on this subject can be found in the Winter 2015 issue of this magazine on page 6 and in the Spring 2016 issue also on page 6, both magazines can be viewed/downloaded at www.dijonline.co.uk .