Industrial Doors & Shutters Automated Gates & Barriers Industry News Domestic Garage Doors Access Control & Smart Security Entrance, Internal, Sliding & Bi-folding Doors Doorsets, Fire Doors, Safety & Security Locks & Building Hardware RapidSpec Expels the Myth of Costly Software with ROI Guarantee The Voice of the UK Door & Gate Industry | Summer 2023
THE door industry journal summer 2023 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Advertising and Editorial The Door Industry Journal PO Box 508 Warninglid Haywards Heath West Sussex RH17 5GY T: 01444 464147 F: 01444 464148 E: mail@doorindustryjournal.co.uk Design Agency Freelance Design & Graphics PO Box 508 Warninglid Haywards Heath West Sussex RH17 5GY T: 01444 461796 F: 01444 461596 E: info@freelance-design.co.uk Advisory Partner The Door & Hardware Federation The Barn Shuttington Fields Farm Main Road Shuttington Tamworth B79 0HA T: 01827 52337 F: 01827 310827 Printed Circulation: Door Industry Journal is a controlled free circulation publication and is available free of charge only to personnel who fall within our defined criteria. Copies are available on subscription to persons or companies who do not qualify. Our current printed circulation is just under 5000 copies. Digital Circulation: Our current digital circulation reaches around 12,500 readers. Annual Subscription Rates: £17.95 (UK), £29.95 (EU), £38.95 (Rest of World) To subscribe visit: www.doorindustryjournal.co.uk 3 Follow us on Twitter @DoorIndustryJnl The Door Industry Journal is an independently produced and edited trade publication, published by Avalon Innovations LLP on behalf of the door, security, lock, ironmongery and automated gate industries, with support and guidance provided by our advisory partner The Door and Hardware Federation (dhf) and other carefully selected industry bodies. Companies selling to the any of the above industry sectors wishing to find out more about advertising or having articles published in the Door Industry Journal should visit our website at www.doorindustryjournal.co.uk or download our media pack at www.dijonline.co.uk . Alternatively, to obtain further information, discuss your advertising requirements or to enquire about special features and advertorials, please call us on 01444 464147 or send an email to advertising@doorindustryjournal.co.uk . Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Avalon Innovations LLP. Company No. OC364751 Derek Hibbart, Editor, Door Industry Journal welcome Summer’s here again. Not such a hot July as last year – when I remember writing this introduction to you in sweltering heat. (Unless, of course, you happen to be in southern Europe.) Before we dive into this latest issue, there’s something I must tell you. We’ve been updating our mailing list here at DIJ Towers, so more people can receive a FREE copy of the magazine. So, to ensure you keep getting your copy delivered to your door, please check that your address is up to date. If not, let us know via the downloadable Change of Address Form you’ll see on page 7 or 122. Also - if a colleague would like a copy, email us their details and we’ll add them to the list. Back to the summer issue, which has plenty inside to keep you busy over the holidays. Here are a few highlights: • Ken Price, MD at the Automatic Door Suppliers Association, gives his take on the year so far (p8) • Industry stalwart Garador is celebrating 75 years of manufacturing history (p18) • Read about Robust UK’s brand new £6 million facility in Newcastle-under-Lyme (p32) • The Hörmann story – from humble beginnings to a multi-million success story (p34) • Roller door specialist TROJON announces new product expansion plans (p60) • How Ellard is bridging the gap between loading bays and HGVs with its Dock Leveller control panels (p68) • SWS UK marks 10 years of its in-demand SeceuroSchools training days (p70) • The partnership between Alucorb and gate manufacturer HorizAL is going from strength to strength (p84) There is plenty more inside. And I’m sure a sun lounger with your name on it awaits, so have a well-deserved rest and enjoy this issue of your favourite industry magazine. I’ll be back with you again in the winter.
Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk contents 5 26 JCM Technologies, 40 Years Next to You With 40 years of history, JCM has taken a leading position in electronic solutions for the security and management of residential, community, commercial, and industrial doors. 54 ThermoSecure Celebrate Three Years of Trading ThermoSecure celebrate adding SOMFY control units to their Insulated Roller Garage Door range. 70 SeceuroSchool Success SWS UK’s popular SeceuroSchool training days continue to be in high demand, with another two events this summer. 82 BFT Automation Announces Merger Leading automation specialist, BFT Automation, has merged its Northern and Southern businesses offering an enhanced level of customer service. 94 Videx Launches New Cloud Platform Videx, the leading door entry and access control manufacturer, introduce a new cloud platform. 98 Progressive Production is Key to Greener Future As concerns around industry’s impact on the environment grow, it is no surprise to see the manufacturing sector come under closer scrutiny. 108 Smoke: The Silent Killer More Deadly than Fire Did you know the biggest threat to your life in an indoor fire is the smoke produced rather than the fire itself? 116 Architectural Ironmongery: Unlocking Consistent Finishes Behind a combination of concepts, briefs and materials, architectural hardware can often tie design projects together, explains Daniel May of Consort Architectural Hardware. 121 The Wife Said: “Here’s £20”... Industry News Industrial Doors & Shutters Domestic Garage Doors Access Control & Smart Security 6 67 Automated Gates & Barriers 78 40 92 Entrance, Internal, Sliding & Bi-folding Doors Doorsets, Fire Doors, Safety & Security 96 106 Locks & Building Hardware Take a Break Services 114 121 123 6-7 Expel the Myth Often manufacturers see administration software as a cost. RapidSpec is not and never will be a cost. THE door industry journal summer 2023
Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 6 THE door industry journal summer 2023 Industry News Expel the Myth! The purpose of RapidSpec software is to increase bottom-line profit for its users. The better the software, the greater the increase in additional profit. How does RapidSpec increase profit? By reducing the amount of work involved in quoting and fulfilling a project. Our research tells us that administration will account for 20-30% of the total manufacturing cost of a door or door set. Manufacturers need to create bills of materials and workstation documentation for shop floor manufacture. Typically, this takes 25% of an estimator’s time. This work is done automatically by our software, releasing about 10 hours per week of an estimator’s time. This time can be used to achieve increased sales and or customer service. Even if manufacturers already have some kind of system in place, RapidSpec can give you even greater productivity. Raising productivity is of course the same as increasing profit: from an operational point of view, there is no difference! RapidSpec automatically prices door sets, creates cutting lists for all the materials you need for any project, and makes sure everything is right the first time. It also automatically produces door set drawings, so that your customers and your team can see and know exactly what is ordered. When a project quotation is confirmed as an order what is purchased and what is delivered is exactly as that order, no mistakes. The elimination of errors is another valuable feature of RapidSpec. It’s sometimes scary to look back over a year and calculate how much bottom-line profit is lost by errors. Wrongly specified or sized glass, door cores cut to the wrong size, doors that don’t quite fit frames, wrong veneer, wrong finish and anything can go wrong with ironmongery. When you have software that automatically works out everything that you need, without error, at the very least you have peace of mind. It’s easy to set up and easy to administer. Customers love the way it transforms part of the whole manufacturing process. There are a few versions of RapidSpec available including: - ‘RapidSpec FlashQuote’ This is a new version of RapidSpec which reduces input time and produces quotations for doors and door sets with frames, hinges and locks vision panels, push plates, kick plates, etc. After the initial project set-up (a 5-minute job), it will deliver auto pricing, quotation and door set drawings all in less than a minute, freeing up time for your people to produce more quotations in the time they have available. Yes, you’re specifying a customer door every time in less than a minute! Often manufacturers see administration software as a cost. RapidSpec is not and never will be a cost.
7 THE door industry journal summer 2023 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Industry News IMPORTANT Subscriptions to Door Industry Journal DID YOUR COPY OF THIS MAGAZINE ARRIVE AT THE CORRECT ADDRESS? If not, please supply your new address ensuring that your unique reference (DIJ/~~/XXXX) as printed on the magazine mailing wrapper or your previous postcode and the first line of your old address are supplied: A ‘CHANGE OF ADDRESS FORM’ CAN BE DOWNLOADED FROM WWW.DIJONLINE.CO.UK/SUBS.HTML • Send the form by email to subscriptions@doorindustryjournal.co.uk • Post the form to us at the address shown on page three of this issue. • Phone through your revisions to 01444 464147 Please ensure that the above information is supplied or we may not be able to identify your subscription. ‘RapidSpec Installer’ This is another new version of our brilliant software, which has the fastest, most accurate and most detailed door specifications and drawings for installers. This is important for absolute clarity in purchasing door sets or measuring up on-site. We guarantee that this product will eliminate errors, dramatically speed up specification time and increase your customers’ confidence in your ability to deliver. When talking to a building contractor at our exhibition at the NEC (before Covid) we asked “How do you judge the ability of a potential new supplier that you have never used before?”. The answer: “the quality of information.” RAPIDSPEC PROVIDES MANUFACTURERS AND INSTALLERS WITH QUICK QUOTATIONS AND AUTOMATIC DRAWINGS WHICH ARE RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. So, don’t look at it as a cost; look at it as making you more money! For more information please visit: www.rapidspec.co.uk or call our local rate number T: 0333 600 4000 or T: 0121 506 9020 (national rate).
Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Industry News Mid-Year Review Highlights ADSA’s Achievements Ken Price, Managing Director of the Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA), takes a timely look back on the first half of 2023 and flags up what’s on the horizon. We’re already halfway through the year! It hardly seems that long since we were contending with winter woes but in the blink of an eye, we’re six months into 2023. This point in the year is always a good stopping-off point: a chance to review our activity and see what we have achieved (and what’s still left to do!). We’ve made great progress in three key areas: competency, standards and member benefits. At the start of the year, we took a strategic approach to align ADSA with other organisations under our Better Together initiative. This included membership of the Joint Competency Initiative (JCI), the Trade Association Forum (TAF) and the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education’s (IfATE) Employer Directory. All these associations have provided us with opportunities to gain and demonstrate best practice. Through membership of TAF we are informed about ‘bigger picture’ issues and get the chance to be part of a solution to national political and economic problems The association has links with UK Government and industry leaders, and with more than 130 members – many within the construction industry – also facilitates learning and networking.
ADSA’s inclusion within the IfATE Employer Directory has also increased the visibility of our services and our ‘hands-on’ approach to initiating apprenticeships and meeting occupational needs. To gain our place, we had to meet a rigorous criterion and that in itself was a useful exercise. It helped to ensure that we continue to explore the best ways to develop a future workforce for the automatic door industry. Our involvement in the JCI is also a game changer. The steering group, which has brought together leading associations with responsibilities in establishing and maintaining competence levels within their individual sectors, will radically reform and improve quality and standards throughout the construction industry. By working together, we have been able to define what competence looks like, and how we measure and achieve it against specific roles and requirements. We have pledged to drive through change against a recognised set of standards that relate to different parts of the industry: subcontractors, specifiers, manufacturers etc., and identify the kind of training and continuous professional development that is required to prove competence. Closer to home, we have reached a key milestone in bringing forth a new generation of automatic door industry technicians. The fifth cohort of apprentices began their studies in May – making a total of 69 students who have embarked on the programme since it launched in 2021. At the other end of the process are seven members of the first cohort who are undertaking their end-point assessments upon completion of their studies. In the area of standards, we have seen the launch of a new training course for EN17352 which has been introduced to regulate power-operated pedestrian entrance control equipment such as powered turnstiles, swing lanes and retractable lanes. Many of ADSA’s manufacturer members include these types of products within their ranges and there is a natural correlation between them and other automatic entrance products. The standard has addressed industry concerns around safety in use requirements and test methods. It will ensure that systems are safe and ADSA’s training course will further enhance public confidence, through company accreditation and evidencing their competence. ADSA is also publishing a guide to Security Rated Powered Pedestrian Doors which will be available to download from our website: www.adsa.org.uk/news This defines the principal burglary resistance security standards used in the UK and the Republic of Ireland and provides an overview of the scope of each standard. The document is intended for developers, architects, specifiers and facility managers to provide routes to identify products within our marketplace that meet these stringent standards. It will also provide a useful source of information for others working directly in our industry. Our Technical and Training Manager, Darren Hyde, has been busy in collaboration with the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers’ Technical Committee and has produced a chapter on the service and maintenance of powered pedestrian doors for its Commercial and Residential End-User Guides. These highlight the importance of occupier safety checks and maintenance and can be found at www.gai.org.uk/GAI/Knowledge/User-Guides We have also been involved in the development of a new industry-approved Product Data Template (PDT) for doorsets. A PDT provides a uniform way of describing essential product characteristics against relevant standards. When a manufacturer produces a PDT, it summarises performance and other technical characteristics - making information more consistent and audience-specific for better-informed decision-making. Of course, our membership is at the heart of everything we do and we are always keen to add value to ADSA membership. This has been the focus for our new website which includes improved functionality with a brand-new look and feel. The site has been developed to maximise user experience, with slicker mechanisms for booking courses & events and a member search facility with postcode and mapping features for customers to find products and service providers. It also includes a shop – something requested directly by members which offers a range of branded and personalised workwear. We have several other projects in the pipeline including an update to Quartet, our online member services portal coving HR, legal, health and safety and tax service. Our provider is redeveloping the platform to make it easier to use, adding new resources to its online library. Finally, we have been working closely with the Health and Safety Executive concerning a fatality that occurred following an incident involving powered pedestrian doors. Initially, we were there to provide advice and guidance to the inspector regarding industry standards and training. This led to a report on the incident, around which we are producing a whitepaper. This will examine the report’s findings in detail, alongside a series of recommendations for those who all share a duty of responsibility in the specification, installation and maintenance of powered pedestrian doors. From this tragic incident, we hope to generate something positive that will reduce the chance of similar occurrences. So far, it’s been a productive year… there are six months to go and plenty of work still to do. Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 9 THE door industry journal summer 2023 Industry News
Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk THE door industry journal summer 2023 Industry News 10 Three Steps to Remove the Risk of Dust Exposure Kevin Underwood, Technical Director of the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) Removing and controlling the risk of dust exposure in the workplace is a legal obligation for all woodworking and joinery businesses, in the UK. Wood dust is hazardous to health and is known to cause or exacerbate diseases such as asthma, with carpenters and joiners four times more likely to be diagnosed with the condition compared with other UK workers. Due to the serious consequences, exposure to wood dust falls under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2022 (COSHH). So, what steps should employers take to control and minimise dust exposure in the workplace? Step 1: Implement simple control measures. Although the health effects from exposure, and the specific Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs), vary depending on whether the dust is from hardwood, softwood or composite wood such as chipboard and fibre board, the measures to control dust exposure are the same regardless of the type of wood being machined. Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) is the main control measure to ensure that wood dust is managed at its source on machinery. The LEV needs to be sufficient for the machinery and operations being conducted, well-maintained and tested by a competent LEV engineer at least every 14 months to ensure its performance. However, in some circumstances, LEV alone does not provide adequate dust control. When certain machines are in use, such as bandsaws, circular saws and fixed sanding machines, Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) is also needed. The RPE should have a minimum Assigned Protection Factor (APF) of 20, and the RPE should be correctly fitted, with each user receiving appropriate training and undergoing face fit testing. It’s important to note that more often than not RPE is needed in addition to, not in place of, LEV. Employers should risk assess the machinery and operation to determine the protection required. Dry sweeping and compressed air should not be used for the collection or clearing of wood dust. When clearing surfaces of wood dust and debris, a dust class M or H-type portable dust extractor or suction hose attached to the LEV should be used. When there are larger offcuts and chips, these should be shovelled or vacuumed using attachments with pre-filters or mesh to prevent blockages. Step 2: Protect employees using portable tools. Using the correct classification of a dust extraction system is crucial to minimising dust exposure when working onsite or using portable tools in the workshop. All power tool extraction systems will be classified as either low (L), medium (M) or high (H). The HSE states that for construction applications H or M-class units are suitable when fitted with a low-flow indicator. L-class units and commercial vacuums are unsuitable for wood dust as they do not offer the correct filtration or incorporate a low-flow indicator. Power tool manufacturers often offer a range of portable extraction systems that are designed to plug directly into their corded tools. This means that when the power tool is turned on, so is the extractor. However, this is not the case for all power tools, particularly cordless versions as they do not need to be plugged in or switched on. The use of Bluetooth-enabled extractors which can be turned on without having to go back to the machine can make this easier, particularly when working on larger sites. Step three: Monitor health effects. In addition to ensuring preventative health and safety measures are in place, any potential health effects on employees must be detected as early as possible. This can be achieved by implementing a health surveillance programme that covers all workers who might breathe in wood dust. To support this, businesses should seek advice from an occupational health professional who has the relevant skills, knowledge and experience for health risks in woodworking. Managing dust exposure correctly to ensure it is minimised helps maintain the health and well-being of all those in the woodworking and joinery profession. The BWF are a campaign partner of HSE’s ‘Dust Kills’ campaign, which provides free advice to businesses and workers on the control measures required to prevent exposure to dust. By adopting the guidance as set out by the HSE and seeking advice from trusted trade associations, you can be confident that your business is putting its employees’ health first. For more helpful resources from the British Woodworking Federation on health & safety in the workplace, visit: www.bwf.org.uk/health-and-safety-in-the-woodworking-industry/
Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 12 THE door industry journal summer 2023 Industry News SWS UK Smashes Fundraising Target Lancaster manufacturer SWS UK was one of 50 businesses to accept the 50-50-500 challenge of raising £500 over 50 days for its local hospice. Impressively, SWS UK more than doubled the original target, raising over £1000. St John’s Hospice, which is based close to SWS UK’s head office is a local, charity-led hospice supporting a population of 250,000 people in North Lancashire, South Lakes and parts of North Yorkshire. Providing palliative care for patients with life-shortening conditions, the hospice has been caring for the community since 1986. Every service they provide, from end-of-life care to bereavement support is offered without charge, however, to keep this vital provision, the hospice relies solely on donations and community funding. New for 2023, the 50-50-500 fundraiser challenged 50 local businesses with raising £500 over 50 days. Interestingly, it was up to each individual business to come up with their own ideas for raising the money throughout May and June. The creative team at SWS UK rose to the challenge and hosted a mixture of activities and events, including quizzes and a well-stocked bake sale. However, bringing in the majority of the donations was a cycling challenge that really tested the team’s endurance! Cycling for Victory More than 40 employees across SWS UK’s factory and offices were cheered on by their colleagues as they cycled up to 5 miles each on one of two spinning bikes set up in the company’s showroom. Through sponsorship and a popular social media campaign that highlighted the team’s progress, SWS UK quickly surpassed their £500 target, and successfully raised more than double that amount. SWS UK’s Managing Director Colin Reoch said, “St John’s Hospice is a treasured asset within our community. The service they provide has been a lifeline for so many, including some of our own employees. Taking part in the 50-50-500 challenge gave us the opportunity to show our appreciation to the hospice and everything they do. It was a pleasure to watch the SWS team join forces and I’m proud of our collective efforts in raising such a substantial sum of money. We were blown away by the donations we received from customers, colleagues and our families and I’d like to personally thank them for their support.” For further information about St John’s Hospice, or to make a donation, please visit: www.sjhospice.org.uk/
A New Technical Manager Joins the ARRONE Team Robert Mottram has recently joined the ARRONE team as a technical manager. Rob has more than 9 years of experience working within the door industry. He joins HOPPE from steel door manufacturer Robust UK where he was a research and development manager. “My new role is focused on product performance and ensuring all firerated ARRONE products have upto-date fire test evidence to support certificates,” explains Rob. I have a lot of experience with fire doors and the associated hardware. In my previous role, I was involved in the preparation for the regulations that came into force in November 2019 regarding the CE marking of fire-rated external doorsets. I’ll be working closely with test labs and independent third-party certification schemes, such as Certifire, as well as with door manufacturers to ensure we have the right hardware and test evidence for use with their products. I’m incredibly passionate about training and development so it’s great to be part of an organisation and team that is equally committed. I am part of the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers’ (GAI) education committee and I’m currently doing the GAI Diploma in door systems having completed my Certificate in Architectural Hardware in 2020.” Based in Wolverhampton, HOPPE (UK) Ltd is a market leader in door and window hardware. As a member of the HOPPE Group, HOPPE (UK) provides architectural hardware products that have been tested to meet the most stringent European and British standards. www.hoppe.co.uk 13 THE door industry journal summer 2023 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Do you want your company to feature in the Door Industry Journal but don’t know what to write? Don’t worry, help is at hand… Martin Sayers at MSCopy is the copywriting partner for the DIJ and is available to write your editorial, marketing and advertising copy. It is his job to write words that drive customers to your door. Martin has over a decade of experience and can produce copy for you based on a simple written brief or telephone interview. If words are failing you then contact Martin Sayers today – call 01223 476286 or email mail@mscopy.co.uk www.mscopy.co.uk Martin Sayers Are you lost for words? This column intends to give you advice on how to improve your marketing communications – websites, emails, brochures etc. As a copywriter, it’s my job to sell with words and I hope you can benefit from my experience. Here’s a marketing mistake that bedevils so many firms: They don’t email their clients and prospects enough. This mistake is usually made as firms are worried about what to say - and don’t want to bore their audience and have people unsubscribe. But there’s a way around that: You have to send emails that revolve around the hopes, worries and interests of your audience. When you know that (which to an extent you already do, or you wouldn’t have a business) you have plenty of material for emails. Write about what will help, entertain, or inform your audience and link it to what you sell. Do that and you keep your customers happy and unsubscribes to a bare minimum. Martin on Marketing
15 THE door industry journal summer 2023 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Industry News Six Years after Grenfell: What Legislation has Changed? On the sixth anniversary of the Grenfell fire tragedy, which resulted in the loss of 72 lives, dhf’s General Manager & Secretary, Michael Skelding, looks back on this year’s developments with regards to legislation and the resultant impact on dhf members. On 14th June 2017, a high-rise fire broke out in the 24-storey Grenfell Tower block of flats in North Kensington, West London, in the early hours of the morning. The fire, which burned for 60 hours, claimed the lives of 72 people, with more than 70 injured and 223 escaping. It remains the deadliest structural fire in the UK since the 1988 Piper Alpha oil-platform disaster. Over the past year, a number of regulations have come into force to prevent the recurrence of such an incident, such as the Construction Product (Amendment) Regulations in July 2022; this has enabled the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to act as an enforcement authority for construction products. This legislation was made in exercise of the powers conferred by Schedule 11 of the Building Safety Act 2022, and effectively paved the way for the new National Regulator for Construction Products to be established by the Office for Product Safety and Standards, thus allowing for enhanced and strengthened regulation of construction products. Further secondary legislation is intended. “It is clear that enforcement of the existing Construction Products Regulations, as undertaken by local authorities’ trading standards departments since 1991, has been ineffective due to a lack of recourses and specific training,” explains Michael. “The report “Testing for a Safer Future” confirms this. The direct involvement of OPSS, acting under DLUHC, should improve the effectiveness of enforcement and lead to more prosecutions where defective and, in particular, dangerous, products are concerned. This will potentially affect all manufacturers of construction products.” In October 2022, the White Paper on Construction Products Competence (CPC) was published. It was created by WG 12 of the Competence Steering Group (CSG) and the document has been widely supported throughout the construction products supply chain. As a result, in January 2023, BSI Committee CPB/1 established a new project to create a Code of Practice for Core Criteria for Construction Products Competence, to be based on the White Paper. The purpose of the standard is to help ensure that individuals using or otherwise working with construction products are competent to do so and can demonstrate their competence to others. The standard is expected to describe five levels of core criteria that should be achieved, demonstrated, and maintained by all individuals making choices concerning construction products at all levels in the built environment sector. It is also expected to include a methodology of application to define how those core level criteria can be mapped by industries within the built environment sector consistently to their competence frameworks. The standard is intended to be used, in conjunction with BS 8670, by all industries in the built environment sector to map against their existing training and qualifications to demonstrate the construction product competence of the individuals in their work force. They may also use it to identify any gaps in their training and qualifications. “While dhf training currently focuses on installing and maintaining products correctly, this initiative is based on the understanding that many actors in the supply chain need to be competent in dealing with construction products; this would include, for example: manufacturers, distributors, architects, risk assessors, building safety managers as well as installers and maintainers. We will continue to support this initiative through our membership of CSG WG 12,” adds Michael. On 23rd January 2023, The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, made under Article 24 of the Fire Safety Order 2005, came into force. These regulations impose additional duties on the responsible persons in residential buildings of multiple occupancy (BMO). In buildings taller than 11 metres, the new regulations require quarterly checks on fire doors in communal areas and annual checks on flat entrance doors. As Michael says: “Some members will be involved in carrying out fire door inspections under these regulations and there will be an increased need for training.” The following month saw the first meeting of the new Building Advisory Committee, chaired by Peter Baker, Chief Inspector of Buildings, and head of the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) in HSE. ....Continued on next page.
14 THE door industry journal summer 2023 Industry News Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk
OPEN DOORS Grenfell ….. 6 years on It is now over 6 years since the Grenfell fire tragedy, which claimed the lives of 72 people. Since then, dhf has been very active in contributing in any way possible to make the built environment a safer place; for example, being involved in WG12 of the Competence Steering Group which published the White Paper on Construction Products Competence in October 2022. At last, we are now seeing things starting to happen such as the Construction Product (Amendment) Regulations in July 2022 which enabled a new National Regulator for Construction Products to be established by the Office for Product Safety and Standards. Another important development was that, in January 2023, The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 came into force. In residential buildings of multiple occupancy taller than 11 metres, like Grenfell Tower, the new regulations require quarterly checks on fire doors in communal areas and annual checks on flat entrance doors. So, progress is being made but there are still some important ‘loose ends’ which should be reviewed. In the case of the above, how will it be determined that the person undertaking the fire door checks has been properly trained and is competent to undertake the inspection? A ‘Certificate of Competency’ for a Fire Door Inspector may have been issued by the training body but has that resulted from, say, a one-day online training course or a training course that took some months to complete and covered much more detail? A regular comment column, brought to you by Bob Perry, CEO, Door and Hardware Federation For more information, please visit www.dhfonline.org.uk THE door industry journal summer 2023 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Bob Perry, dhf CEO “This really was something of a ‘landmark’”, says Michael. “The BSR is becoming the building control authority for work on higher risk buildings in England; previously, this was the local authority in most cases. According to government: the Building Safety Regulator’s approach to formal enforcement and sanctions will serve the public interest and will be undertaken in a fair, equitable and consistent manner, targeting, and taking firm action against those who repeatedly offend, act irresponsibly, or whose actions could cause serious harm. It promotes the principle that those who create the risk are responsible for managing that risk and are held accountable when they fail to do so.” In April of this year, an independent review of the construction product testing regime (a follow-up to Dame Judith Hackitt’s report “Building a Safer Future”) was published. Named “Testing for a Safer Future”, the review identifies potential weaknesses in the system and makes recommendations for improvement. “We are yet to receive a response from UK Government. This could affect the existing intentions for conformity marking of construction products and safety critical products; the official response will be important,” explains Michael. “This will affect testing and certification requirements for manufacturers of construction products. “Looking ahead, we expect the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 Final Report, as well as legislation on competence requirements (provided for in Part 3 of the Building Safety Act 2022) which will potentially affect any building activity subject to building regulations approval in England. In addition, the Golden Thread of information: Part 3 of the Building Safety Act Amends the Building Act 1984 to allow building regulations to make provisions regarding creating, obtaining, storing, and transmitting information and documents. Part 4 imposes duties on Accountable Persons to manage such information and documents, subject to regulations to be made by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The necessary regulations have not yet been published but guidance about implementing the regulations and obtaining and handling the data is also expected. Once in place, information provided by manufacturers and installers of construction products will assume greater importance.” www.dhfonline.org.uk Have you liked our Twitter pages yet? We post news everyday! www.twitter.com/DoorIndustryJnl
Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 18 THE door industry journal summer 2023 Industry News The Garador Family - Celebrating 75 Years of Manufacturing Garador is the UK’s leading manufacturer of garage doors and also leads the way in employee retention, with long-serving employees who have worked for the company for decades. This year Garador has revealed that the service of their longest-serving 30 employees adds up to an astounding 1,000 years plus of service. When you choose Garador as your supplier of choice you will work with an amazing community of people within our Garador family. The group of Garador’s longest servers includes Robert Dash, who joined the company 40 years ago this year and has some wonderful memories of the workforce then, when the company operated in an old factory where records were kept in typewritten notes and employees were paid weekly in cash. “The changes I have seen have been remarkable,” said Robert. “My father worked here before me, joining in 1968, and he thought Garador was a progressive company then. He never dreamed of the changes I would see; today computers and technology affect nearly every aspect of our working life.” Robert says that despite changes, he still loves his job. “It’s one of the best, most modern garage door manufacturers in Europe,” he said, “but Garador still has a family feel. I love coming into work every day, where I spend a lot of time driving forklifts, loading and unloading our delivery lorries. I also unload coils of steel with an overhead crane and book in the goods for supply to the shop floor.” Garador celebrates its 75th anniversary with the acknowledgement of its longest-serving employees.
Robert continues: “There is terrific camaraderie among fellow workers here. I worked as the senior shop steward for UNITE, including through the pandemic, and that was a very busy time but if anything, it brought us all even closer together.” Another long-serving employee at Garador is Chris Irving, who joined the company in 1988, working on the old production lines. Now Chris works as Production Supervisor, having seen the company progress to the mechanisation of the production line and then the introduction of computer-controlled manufacturing technology as well. Chris comments: “Garador has changed dramatically in recent years, with the introduction of MES and an increasingly automated production line. It’s quite incredible when you look back and see how far everything has come. It’s such a dynamic place to work and I am sure people enjoy coming to work far more today than they did when the company started 75 years ago.” Chris says that he was working at Garador when the new embossed Horizon garage door was released in the 1990s. “I knew it was a great door then, but who would have thought that a quarter of a century later, the latest iteration of that Horizon door would still be really popular!” he added Women are today key in Garador’s operation, something that was not so obvious 75 years ago when the company started; and many now belong to the company’s exclusive group of long-serving employees. Samantha Todd joined the company 25 years ago and says one of the biggest changes she has seen is the huge extension of products available. “When I started the price list consisted of only a few pages; now we have a vast number of styles, sizes and options; there really is a perfect garage door for every possible build,” she said. “My favourite is the Carlton; seeing the whole process as it is manufactured in the factory here and then finally the beautifully finished product is enormously satisfying. Of course, even the paint has changed since I have been here; today the colours are so vibrant but also incredibly hard-wearing and durable. That is development at its best.” Samantha also says the social life at Garador is a key part of why she has stayed with the company for so long. “Everyone here is very professional but also so friendly, it is like a big family. We have good social events and also charity events which help everyone feel part of a great Garador team. In my role, managing our Customer Support Department, along with organising training courses and many other jobs, I also have personal contact with many different people. Ensuring our customers have all the support and help they need so that purchasing a Garador garage door is straightforward and easy is such an important aspect of our business; I am really happy I can play a key role here.” Garador’s Managing Director, Jon Watson, said he was extremely proud of all the employees and also the company’s record of keeping many employees for most of their lives. “To dedicate nearly all your working life to just one company is unusual today,” he said. “I believe this is a great endorsement of the working conditions and the leadership in the various areas that make up our manufacturing business. The first 75 years of our business went through many challenges and problems, and no doubt there will be more tough times ahead; but with such a wonderful employee base, I feel confident that Garador will remain Britain’s leading garage door manufacturing company for many years to come.” View the complete range of Garador products online by visiting www.garador.co.uk or calling 01935 443722. 19 THE door industry journal summer 2023 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Industry News
Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 20 THE door industry journal summer 2023 Industry News dhf to Hold Accredited CPD Webinars After becoming a member of the CPD certification service on 1st March 2023, dhf (Door & Hardware Federation) has announced that it will be holding two accredited CPD Webinars for members on 10th and 24th August. Each webinar demonstrates the required Continuing Professional Development standards and the learning value and practicality of each course has been examined thoroughly to ensure both are of high quality and comply with CPD requirements. The complimentary webinars will feature force limitation and non-contact presence detection for doors, gates, and traffic barriers respectively and will be aimed at installation and maintenance engineers of industrial & garage doors, powered gates, and traffic barriers, as well as managers of installation and maintenance engineers; business owners of installation and maintenance companies, and facilities managers, retail landlords/managers with responsibility for maintenance teams. The force limitation webinar explains how to assess force limitation on industrial & garage doors, powered gates, and traffic barriers under EN 12453 including what safe force and time limits apply in a range of hazard locations, how to test at the main closing edges and how to verify safe force at hazards that cannot be easily or safely measured directly to achieve legal compliance. The non-contact presence detection webinar covers one of three ways in which powered doors, gates and barriers can be prevented from injuring people and how compliance with EN 12453 can be achieved. It explains how to assess non-contact presence detection on industrial & garage doors, powered gates, and traffic barriers under EN 12453 and will enable delegates to understand what non-contact presence detection is, how non-contact presence can be used to prevent powered doors, gates and barriers harming people and how to test it for compliance in a range of hazard locations. The webinars are delivered via Teams and last around an hour and a half, including time for a Q&A session. Although the webinars are delivered electronically, these can also be delivered at members’ open days, face-to-face upon request, and are a further benefit of membership. dhf’s Commercial Director, Patricia Sowsbery-Stevens, says: “dhf continues to stress the importance of a competent workforce and that the correct training is sourced, including increasing knowledge on important topics like those covered in our webinars. We encourage companies involved in the installation and maintenance of doors, gates, and traffic barriers to ensure they are meeting safety standards, as well as recognising when to bring in a specialist contractor. Our CPD-accredited webinars offer information on topics that enable staff to understand how these safety elements can be used to ensure doors, gates or traffic barriers are safe and we are delighted to be able to provide these for our members.” For the first time, these webinars will be presented in person to non-members at Fencex, an exhibition held on 11th October in Warwickshire. The event is specifically targeted at those who work with automated gates and traffic barriers. Those attending will still gain a certificate and claim CPD hours. For further information contact marketing@dhfonline.org.uk To enquire about membership of dhf to gain access to these webinars free of charge, visit www.dhfonline.org.uk Meet Paul Lindsay: Ellard’s Business Development Manager for Ireland & Scotland I started with Ellard as Business Development Manager for Ireland & Scotland at the beginning of March 2023. I am new to the automation industry in this sector but previously worked for a global market-leading roof window manufacturer, that pioneered automation with both its core products and blind accessories. I also spent several years in the motorsport industry with two global brands, looking after commercial business development and sponsorship procurement, so essentially I’ve gone from marketing and selling one type of motor to another. Having now spent two months in the role, covering a wide and diverse range of trade customers from industrial and commercial to domestic products like blind motors, one thing that is immediately apparent is the strength of the Ellard brand name – even with those using competitor products. There is plenty of scope and work to be done for sure, but the support that is in place at Ellard HQ in Manchester is key to the success of the BDM in the customer-facing role. I’ve experienced tremendous support from the sales and marketing team and we have a technical support team that is second to none and widely acknowledged out in the field. I’m now looking forward to the challenge ahead with Ellard and to assisting our customers in Ireland and Scotland with all their needs. If you are based in Ireland or Scotland and would like to talk to Paul or schedule a visit you can contact him at paull@ellard.co.uk
Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 22 THE door industry journal summer 2023 Industry News Are You Ready for April 2024? The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 received Royal Assent on 6th December 2022 and has been enacted into law. The government have now announced that companies have a period of a year to implement the changes put forth in the legislation, with compliance required by 29th April 2024. This law applies to all consumer IoT products, including but not limited to: • connected safety-relevant products such as door locks • connected home automation and alarm systems • Internet of Things base stations and hubs to which multiple devices connect • smart home assistants • smartphones • smoke detectors • connected cameras • connected fridges, washers, freezers, coffee machines Whilst consumer connectable products such as those listed above offer huge benefits for people and businesses to live better connected lives, to date the adoption of cyber security requirements within these products is poor - only 1 in 5 manufacturers embed basic security requirements in consumer connectable products, although consumers overwhelmingly assume these products are secure. Whilst connectable consumer products have previously had to comply with existing regulation to ensure that they will not directly cause physical harm from issues such as overheating, environmental damage or electrical interference, they have not been regulated to protect consumers from cyber harm such as loss of privacy and personal data. To close this regulatory gap, the government introduced the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act. The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 requires manufacturers, importers and distributors to ensure that minimum security requirements are met in relation to consumer connectable products that are available to consumers and provides a robust regulatory framework that can adapt and remain effective in the face of rapid technological advancement, the evolving techniques employed by malicious actors, and the broader international regulatory landscape. Many IoT products are still produced with a default password either commonly used (such as password) or easily obtainable online. Hackers know and regularly exploit this vulnerability. The PSTI legislation covers the following three main security features: • Consumer IoT devices will not be allowed to have universal default passwords This makes it easier for consumers to configure their devices securely to prevent them being hacked by cyber criminals • Consumer IoT devices will have to have a vulnerability disclosure policy This means manufacturers must have a plan for how to deal with weaknesses in software which means it’s more likely that such weaknesses will be addressed properly • Consumer IoT devices will need to disclose how long they will receive software updates This means that software updates are created and released to maintain the security of the device throughout its declared lifespan The regulatory framework The regulatory framework within the law enables the government to take a range of actions against companies that are not compliant with it by 29th April 2024. This includes: • Enforcement Notices: Compliance notices, Stop notices and Recall notices • Monetary penalties: the greater of £10 million or 4% of the company’s qualifying worldwide revenue • Forfeiture: of stock is in the possession or control of any manufacturer, importer or distributor of the products, or an authorised representative
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