Door Industry Journal - Spring 2021

THE door industry journal spring 2021 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk OPEN DOORS Onwards and Upwards…. Hopefully Who could have imagined what we have all been through in the last year? It has been a very difficult for everybody, but we must be thankful that we work in construction related industries, rather than other sectors such as hospitality and retailing. Hopefully, we can now look forward to a phased return to life much closer to the one that we knew before Covid-19. As tough as it has been, we should now reflect on some of the positives. Back in March 2020 it became obvious that DHF had to review how it operated and moved rapidly to virtual meetings and online training. It took a little time to adapt to these new ways of working but gradually it became the new norm, and it is now part of our everyday life. So, what about the future…how do we see ourselves operating when all the restrictions are lifted? As far as DHF is concerned I can’t see us ever going back to working exactly like we did pre Covid. As they say, ‘the genie is out of the bottle’. Of course, there will be times when face to face meetings are beneficial and certainly many people prefer face to face training. But virtual meetings have many advantages, particularly saving travelling time and the associated costs. And of course, one cannot ignore the fact that it is the greener option. So, going forward at DHF, we will see a mix of virtual and face to face meetings. And if I was a betting man, I would be backing virtual to be the winner at 7:1 odds on favourite. Bob Perry, dhf CEO A regular comment column, brought to you by Bob Perry, CEO, Door and Hardware Federation For more information, please visit www.dhfonline.org.uk Ellard Continues to be a Source of Technical Knowledge as Training Goes Virtual A successful business does not stop when significant hurdles appear in its way. And during the likes of Covid-19, Ellard has been quick to take action to continue to find new solutions to perform better than ever. To keep in line with government guidance and prioritise the safety of their staff and customers, Ellard has now began creating informative online training through webinars and how-to videos. Ellard’s webinar series began in February seeing Technical Manager Mark Grice host an in-depth discussion on the FCP03 and FCP-01 fire control panels. Keep an eye out across Ellard’s social media pages for more informative webinars in the future. www.ellard.co.uk In Memoriam With great sadness, we announce that James Byrne (known in the industry as Jim), a well-known and respected man who spent his career in the garage and industrial door industries, passed away, near Maidstone, on Tuesday 2nd February 2021 after a long illness. Born in 1946, Jim was aged 74. Jim, along with business partner John Baker, established JB Garage Doors in 1972 and then in 1987 started JB Industrial Doors, both companies were based in Maidstone, Kent. Jim was also one of the founding members of the Association of Garage Door Specialists (AGDS). Please join us to mourn his passing. Rest in Peace Jim.